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

• 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
• ISSN: 0275-6072

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.