The Supreme Court and My Hometown

The Society’s civics program, “The Supreme Court and My Hometown,” launched earlier this month and we are accepting student applications. This initiative will engage St. Louis area high school students, over the course of the 2023 fall semester, in a thorough study of the process and substantive issues of a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in a unique and personalized way. The program will also encourage students to interact with their local government and community based on what they have learned in the study, as described below. A distinguishing feature of this program is the focus on Supreme Court cases that originated in their hometowns and local courts. In this inaugural session, St. Louis students will follow Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988) from its inception at the United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and finally to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. It will explore both the Constitutional questions in the case as well as the procedural history of the cases through a local lens.

The purpose of this program is to teach students about the role of the Supreme Court and its independence in our system of government, as well as the work of the federal court system, through a review of cases that enable students to connect more easily with the Court – in effect, to bring the Court “down to earth.” The course of study will immerse the students in a review of the facts, trials, and appeals that led to the Supreme Court decisions.  At the end of the review sessions, students will complete a Capstone Project that further solidifies their learning and enhances their creative skills. For St. Louis, the final project will be an installation at the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse. This installation will be located near the Tinker v. Des Moines exhibit.

This is an extracurricular program outside of the classroom, after school.  We recognize that classroom time is limited and educators would be challenged to incorporate enhanced and intense study for their students. Legal mentors from the community will be recruited to assist students with their understanding of the judicial system and this particular case. This program also responds to students’ desire for more in-depth, experiential, and locally-related learning.  The program is locally sponsored and supported by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Eastern District Court of Missouri, the St. Louis Judicial Learning Center, and the St. Louis chapter of the Federal Bar Association. If you know any St. Louis area high school students, please encourage them to apply!