Demands
High school students need to be taught their legal rights (like Miranda rights and the right to legal representation) to prevent avoidable incarceration.
Target
The target is the state Senate, in particular the Ways & Means Committee, who could attach the provision to the Senate budget, forthcoming in May.
Status: Active
Their goal is to get the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to allocate some of the Civics Education funding to high school education about Miranda rights and similar legal rights. Often young people end up in juvenile court and detention for preventable reasons, like that they didn't know they could have their parents or a lawyer with them during interrogation.
This is an original idea generated via class discussion. None of the juvenile justice advocacy organizations had thought of it, but now two of them say they enthusiastically support it.
4.2.24 — "My students' campaign is going really well. They got a legislative sponsor to introduce their budget amendment (with an original idea they had, to have high school civics education incorporate legal rights, such as Miranda rights, to help youth stay out of juvenile detention.) On April 16 they are planning a demonstration at the State House with a little miniature jail house and t-shirts with the Miranda rights. I think there's a chance they are going to win!”
Resources
Students have gathered petition signatures on campus twice and on Boston Common once, and delivered them to 3 Senators
Presentation
This presentation was made at the May 2, 2024 virtual Summit on College Social Action.
Social Media
Course
Betsy Leondar-Wright
Sociology Department
Lasell University
Press
Student demonstration at the State House was covered by the biggest news radio station in eastern Mass; and it is a front-page story on the Lasell campus paper.
