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  • August 01, 2004

    Inside the Bar August 2004: Volunteer lawyers keep Brown v. Board of Education legacy alive in the classroom

    Nineteen volunteer lawyers and judges visited 70 Dane and Waukesha county middle and high school classes in May, making 45 presentations in about the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.

    Inside the Bar
    August 2004

    Volunteer lawyers keep Brown v. Board of Education legacy alive in the classroom

    Nineteen volunteer lawyers and judges visited 70 Dane and Waukesha county middle and high school classes in May, making 45 presentations in about the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. State Bar Diversity Outreach Committee members Judge Margaret Vergeront, Madison, and Miguel Salas, Brookfield, led the effort to educate students about the historic case, including its role in the history of civil rights and the legal system's importance in the civil rights struggle.

    "While the anniversary of the Brown decision was in May, the program need not end," says Vergeront. "The committee's lesson plan is available to all State Bar members. I encourage attorneys and judges to participate when school resumes this fall. This is a gratifying way to spend time, reach out to young people, and make an important contribution to your community."

    "The committee's objective was to facilitate a discussion that explored the significance of Brown v. Board of Education," says Salas, committee vice chair. "The focus revolved around three discussion options: Issues of Racial Diversity: Should Schools Serve as Laboratories for Social Change; What is Equality Under the Law?; and What Role Should the Law Play in Maintaining or Changing the Status Quo?"

    According to Salas, who made presentations to seven classes, "We discussed the importance of the Brown decision in terms of the equal protection clause, integration, and the civil rights movement. Students were particularly enthusiastic about discussing whether or not their own education prepared them for meeting, socializing, and working with other diverse people.

    "This was a terrific experience," says Eunice Gibson, former Madison city attorney, who made five presentations to eighth grade history classes in Madison. "The students seemed really interested in Linda Brown and in the experiences of other school children her age in the 1940s and 1950s. It's very important to emphasize the changes that still need to be made."

    The presentation materials for this and other student-oriented resources are available. Call Patricia Morgan at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6107, (608) 250-6107, or email pmorgan@wisbar.org.


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