Learning Law Young: Towards a More Robust, Impactful Civics Education Modeled Off of Jewish Law Learning

Civics education curricula across the United States place too heavy an emphasis on teaching students descriptive information on our government rather than skills to participate within the government system. Even when a more practical-oriented approach to civics is being taken, the efforts made place...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of law & education 2023-04, Vol.52 (1), p.1-45
Main Authors: Broyde, Michael J, Liberman, Ariel J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citizen Participation
Citizenship
Citizenship education
Civics
Community Involvement
Community Relations
Core curriculum
Creativity
Critical thinking
Democracy
Educational Change
Empowerment
Government (Administrative Body)
Jewish law
Jews
Law Students
Learning
Memorization
Problem solving
Public Schools
Racial Differences
School boards
Skills
Social Studies
State Departments of Education
Student Empowerment
Students
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
Thinking Skills
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Summary:Civics education curricula across the United States place too heavy an emphasis on teaching students descriptive information on our government rather than skills to participate within the government system. Even when a more practical-oriented approach to civics is being taken, the efforts made place a great focus on community involvement but little effort on skills-training (concerning, for example, argument, governmental criticism, and policy innovation). These realities lead to complacency and do little to inspire students to effectuate change. This Article argues for a more robust civics education that focuses on learning law young, or, rather, empowering students with the tools of critical thinking, understanding of systemic relationships, ability to question, and reform-mindedness that are important to tackle larger issues. To learn law young means endowing students with a methodological approach to questioning rights, duties, and obligations, as well as a common language for doing so. The Jewish educational tradition is instructive as a model for this sort of learning-from the Jewish Law obligation to educate, the skills that a yeshiva's law learning model cultivates, and the positive consequences of this education on active community participation. If the objective of civics education is to cultivate the "good" active citizen, then this tool-not learning substantive law itself, but an ability to approach law questions-is essential.
ISSN:0275-6072