Education Advocacy and Systemic Change: Children at Risk Clinical Workshop B
Spring term, Block L
Th 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Ms. Susan Cole and Mr. Michael Gregory
2 classroom credits LAW-35244A Spring
2, 3, or 4 required clinical credits LAW-35244C Spring
This workshop and clinic engages students in individual case advocacy and systemic change projects directed toward advancing the school success of children who have endured highly adverse childhood experiences. Cutting-edge research has found high rates of learning and behavior problems in children traumatized by domestic violence, abuse, and other overwhelming experiences; many enter the special education, school discipline, juvenile justice, social service, and mental health systems. Students will utilize the latest research from psychology, neurobiology, and education about the effects of trauma on learning and behavior. Students become experts on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other laws to advocate for individual children and identify systemic problems in the educational system's response to at-risk children. Assessing and advancing systemic reform efforts to help schools create environments where all children can be successful, students have the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary advocacy at the intersection of the fields of law, education, medicine, psychology, and public policy. The clinic is part of the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative, a nationally recognized collaboration with Massachusetts Advocates for Children to address the long-neglected needs of vulnerable children.
The workshop associated with the clinic is organized around a series of hands-on, case-based simulations, which enable students to practice the advocacy skills they will use in their representation of actual clients in the clinic. These skills include: interviewing and counseling clients; reading and interpreting educational evaluations; preparing and interviewing expert witnesses; identifying substantive and procedural violations; formulating legal arguments and theories of the case; interacting and negotiating with opposing counsel.
Past students have made enormous differences in the lives of children by reversing school exclusions and obtaining needed supports for individual children at school. Student systemic work has included setting up a legislative briefing at the MA state house on the impact of trauma on learning; presentations to expert evaluators and to child welfare attorneys on the laws regarding special education; setting up a domestic violence outreach project at shelters across the state; and participating in a legislative campaign on children's mental health. There is no final examination for this course; students will prepare a "rounds" memo and presentation in which they lead a discussion with their colleagues based on one of their cases.
Enrollment will occur during clinical registration. Please refer to the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs (www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical) for clinical course registration dates and early add/drop deadlines.