Law Week

The Houston Bar Association and the Houston Young Lawyers Association celebrated Law Week 2007 with numerous activities centered on Law Day, May 1. This year’s celebration focused on the theme, “Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy.” Activities emphasized educating youth to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law, as well as the history of the juvenile justice system in America.
The HBA Law Week Committee was co-chaired by Mark Kelly of Vinson & Elkins LLP and Brendetta Scott of Hughes Watters Askanase LLP. Members of the Law Week Committee were Shelly M. Davis, Jessica Lee Freedson, Carol Griffin, Elizabeth Konicki Kelly, Hon. Jan Krocker, George Bashier Murr, Michael K. Oldham, Amar B. Raval, Jennise W. Stubbs and Marlene C. Williams.

The HBA recognized the winners of its Law Week Poster and Essay contests, along with their teachers and parents, at the HYLA Law Day Luncheon. Cash prizes for the winners and their teachers were generously provided by Christopher L. Myers (pictured far left) and Blake A. Pratz of the Pratz/Myers Group of SmithBarney. Contest winners included Johnny Taylor of Schmalz Elementary, 1st place poster, 4th-8th grade; Devon Wade, Smiley High School, 2nd place essay; Agnes Perez, Patterson Elementary, 1st place poster, K-3rd grade; and Claire Drom, Cinco Ranch High School, 2nd place essay. Will Schiebl of Memorial High School, author of the 1st place essay, was unable to attend. The winning essay appears on page 48 of this issue.

First Place: Houston Bar Association Law Day Essay Contest

Liberty Under Law:
Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy

By Will Schiebl
Memorial High School

An informed society is a free society. Thus, the best way to assure democracy for the future is to educate today’s youth about their rights and freedoms under the law, for lapses in conscientious resistance to abuse of power naturally lead way to despotism. It is the nature of all governments to erode away at the rights of their constituents, either slowly or in a sudden manner. If our society’s youth are well informed about the law, then they will be able to recognize and stop abuses of power before they are written into our society as legal precedent.
Americans are understandably lenient with their government. After all, it has been well over two hundred years since we have had firsthand experience with tyranny. While this leniency toward the government is good in that it shows a certain trust and lack of cynicism, it is also unfavorable in that it allows the government to slowly and quietly usurp power from the people. Today, government classes in schools are widely seen as an obstacle to navigate around, rather than a source of critical information which one may use to empower themselves. If we were to revamp the structure of government education in schools, then we would see several good things happen. One would be increased oversight of government. With a concerned citizenry in place, the government would no longer be able to get away with the taking of individual freedoms. Another good thing to happen would be a decrease in apathy. If citizens are aware just how much their civil involvement counts, then our government would work more smoothly, and be filled with fresh optimism.
The vast majority of Americans know very little about their rights. Everyone has heard of the so-called Miranda Rights, and most could probably even recite them, in principle. Unfortunately, these same people are, for the most part, under misconceptions about how they may use these simple rights to their benefit, and most importantly, when these rights apply. Educating our citizens about these rights from a young age would turn this situation around, and people would be less likely to incriminate themselves as a party to crimes they may not have even committed.
Effectively employing the right to silence and legal counsel is not the only way that citizens can uphold and assure their democracy. Another tool that citizens may use to keep government in check is their right to be secure against unreasonable searches. It is extremely easy for a corrupt official to implicate someone of a crime if that person is unaware of their rights. Again, by education we may eliminate an uninformed populace who would willingly allow government to siphon their freedoms away.
All of these freedoms, in fact, are to be found in the Constitution, along with other rights. All too many people regard the Constitution as a meaningless piece of paper, rather than what it truly is: the most powerful defensive tool that they will ever be afforded the right to possess. If we empower youth with the knowledge of the constitutional liberties, then we will assure democracy in a most direct way.

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