Dayton Civics Initiative Takes Flight:
The Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, at Dayton
A Review of the 2016-17 and 2017-18 Academic Years
by
Michael Rhinehart, Esq.
Career Law Clerk to Judge Michael Newman
In 2016, the Hon. Michael J. Newman, United States Magistrate Judge with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Dayton, Ohio, became National President of the Federal Bar Association. In that role, Judge Newman sought to supplement and expand civics education beyond classrooms and into federal courtrooms across the country. At the heart of this National Civics Initiative was an effort to encourage elementary, middle, and high school students to meet with Federal Judges and lawyers in order to gain a better understanding of the court’s role in our system of government from those who work in the courts every day.
This civics initiative was undertaken locally in the Southern District of Ohio as well as nationally. In the first two years of the National Civics Initiative, many thousands of young people met with a Federal Judge (as many as 10,000 in academic year 2016-2017 and a larger number in academic year 2017-2018).
Locally, the Dayton Federal Judges hoped to meet with several hundred students in the Federal Courthouse or in schools across the Southern District of Ohio within the eight counties served by the Dayton seat of Court. At the end of the 2016-2017 academic year, however, the Dayton Judges were able to far exceed their expectations by meeting with approximately 1,100 high school and elementary students from Beavercreek High School, Bethel High School, Botkins High School, Butler High School, Eaton High School, Fort Loramie High School, Indian Riffle Elementary School, Fairmont High School, National Trail High School, Northmont High School, Oakwood High School, Thurgood Marshal High School, Tippecanoe High School, Troy High School, West Carrollton High School, and West Liberty-Salem High School.
Some students visiting the Federal Courthouse were given the opportunity to argue the constitutionality of social media posts based upon facts similar to those presented in the United States Supreme Court case of Elonis v. United States, __ U.S. __, 135 S. Ct. 2001 (2015). Other students had the opportunity to argue the appropriate sentence for a young person charged with making fake identification cards and selling them to underage college students. Hundreds of students also met with United States Marshals, who took the time to detail the training and education required of a Marshal, and to explain the equipment used in carrying out their daily law enforcement duties. All students were welcomed to the Courthouse by Judges at the Dayton seat of Court -- and all were invited to return in the future to learn more.
For the second year of the Civics Initiative in 2017-2018, the main goal in Dayton was to improve upon the success of first year. For the second year in a row, Dayton Judges met with students from the following schools: Northmont High School, Thurgood Marshall High School, Eaton High School, Fairmont High School, West-Liberty Salem High School, National Trail High School, Tippecanoe High School, Bethel High School and Beavercreek High School. In fact, teachers from Northmont, Eaton, Fairmont and Beavercreek brought groups of students to the Courthouse on separate occasions during this academic year. In addition to these repeat participants, students from Springboro Junior High, Centerville High School, Xenia High School, Valley View High School, Versailles High School, Yellow Springs High School and Dixie High School met with the Dayton Judges.
Students meeting with Judges were able to learn about a number of topics including the judiciary’s responsibilities and role in our government, the importance of an independent judiciary, the structure of the state and federal courts, and the types of cases heard in those courts. In addition, students in high school criminal justice courses heard about the role of the prosecutor, the different steps involved in federal criminal prosecutions, and the factors considered at sentencing.
During each visit, students interested in pursuing a career in the law -- or simply interested in learning more about the federal judiciary -- were invited to return to the Court on their own or as part of a school-sponsored shadowing program. Over the past year, a number of local students have accepted this invitation and have returned to the Court to shadow Judges and their law clerks as part of an Open Doors to the Federal Courthouse program. These students, who spend most or all of day shadowing a Federal Judge or law clerk, are given a unique opportunity to see the day-to-day tasks performed in chambers, to watch live judicial proceedings, and to discuss their observations directly with the Judges and their staff. Hopefully, the mentoring relationship these students develop while shadowing will continue for years to come.
The Civics Initiative was advanced locally with significant contributions and efforts by the Federal Judges in Dayton, their staff, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender Office, and many lawyers in Dayton. With such tremendous support, over 1,800 middle and high school students were part of the Civics Initiative in Dayton during the 2017-2018 school year -- a wonderful success.