HollisterFreelance.com | A school day to learn the Rule of the Law

NEWS > SCHOOLS
A school day to learn the Rule of the Law

May 6, 2008
By Kristen Tolleson





		Local defense attorney Chenoa Summers talks with two Ladd Lane fifth grade classes Friday afternoon about the different aspects of the law for Law Day.
		Photo by: Nick Lovejoy, The Free Lance








		Ladd Lane fifth graders look over a schedule of how inmates at the juvenile hall spend their days during Friday's law day.
		Photo by: Nick Lovejoy, The Free Lance








		Ladd Lane fifth grader Alina Flores patiently raises her hand to answer a question Friday for law day.
		Photo by: Nick Lovejoy, The Free Lance

The San Benito County Bar Association recently has been celebrating its fifth year of taking part in Law Day presentations in area schools.

They have gone to San Andreas High School, Ladd Lane Elementary School and San Benito High School.

Law day is a national day set aside to celebrate the law. It informs people on how the legal process has contributed to the freedoms that all Americans share.

Programs are designed to help people understand how the law keeps people free and how the legal system strives to achieve justice. The theme for this year was "The Rule of Law," which explores fostering public understanding of it through discussion on its role in society and explaining how it's essential in sustaining a free society.

Sasha Morgan, coordinator of the Self-Help Clinics for San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, gave two one-hour presentations to seniors at San Andreas High School on legal rights and responsibilities when residents become 18 years old.

Ladd Lane Elementary teacher Aggie Obeso-Bradley said this is the third year for this presentation and the kids always learn a lot.

Fifth-graders at Ladd Lane Elementary School had a presentation May 2 on laws and the consequences of violating them. Seniors at San Benito High School had presentations May 5 and May 6 on legal rights and responsibilities when they become 18 years old.

Student Jack Eisenbery said he learned how laws can affect people as they get older. His favorite part was learning what can happen if a law is broken, he said.

Student Sarah Mucik said topics included were gangs, vandalism, pety theft and grand theft. The presenter, he said, didn't have enough time to answer all of the students' questions. It was a good learning experience, he said.

Student Jonathan Summers said his favorite part was learning about the laws. Maybe half of their questions were answered, he said, but there wasn't enough time for all of them.

Bar Association President Paul Breen said each session is about an hour-and-a-half long covering different subjects. Some topics include rental problems, alcohol and drugs, taxes, credit cards, voting, marriage, domestic violence, civil suits, protecting identity and surfing the Internet, Breen said.

Breen said kids seem to be interested in what goes on during the presentations. They pay attention and ask many questions, he said. Students, he said, will be given a survival guide.

"It was excellent," Obeso-Bradley said.

ABOVE: Local defense attorney Chenoa Summers talks with two Ladd Lane fifth-grade classes Friday afternoon about the different aspects of the law for Law Day.

AT LEFT: Ladd Lane fifth-graders look over a schedule of how inmates at the juvenile hall spend their days during Friday's Law Day.

Kristen Tolleson
Kristen Tolleson covers San Benito County and education for the Free Lance. Contact her at ktolleson@freelancenews.com or (831) 637-5566, ext. 335.