Federal Civil Rights Law Bootcamp (Clarke)
Additional Information
Satisfies Senior Writing RequirementNo
Class meets in person.
Meeting Times/Location
FS 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Gittis Hall 2
Category
Upper-Level
Credits
2.0
This is a 2 credit bootcamp - graded CR/F.
During the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, president Lyndon B. Johnson said that this bedrock law is a “challenge to all of to go to work in our communities, our states, in our homes and in our hearts, to eliminate the last vestiges of injustice in our beloved country.” Federal civil rights laws are critical tools for safeguarding individual rights and combatting discrimination. Many of these laws were adopted by Congress in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement including, but not limited to, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act (1968). More recent laws provide additional protection including, but not limited to, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the National Voter Registration Act. These laws help shape and inform mass impact litigation, a vehicle for safeguarding civil rights.
Course Objective: This course will provide a general overview of several federal civil rights statutes, including an examination of statutory text, legislative history and key Supreme Court cases that have informed the interpretation and application of these laws. The course will provide students with a basic understanding of civil rights lawyering in federal courts and the role of mass impact litigation as a vehicle for safeguarding rights. This course will also challenge prevailing understanding of civil rights law as focused largely on prohibitions of race and gender discrimination by focusing on efforts to confront discrimination faced by other vulnerable groups including people with disabilities, religious minorities, members of the military and others. The course will enhance literacy of federal civil rights statutes and their use in modern day mass impact litigation. The course will be led by former Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and will include focus on mass impact litigation brought by private parties and litigation efforts led by the federal government.
Couse Materials will be posted on Canvas.
The class will meet on Friday, February 21, Saturday, February 22, Friday, February 28, and Saturday, March 1, 9:00-5:00 in Gittis 2.
Constitutional Law Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of constitutional law; Perform legal analysis in the context of constitutional law; Communicate effectively on topics related to constitutional law; Demonstrate an understanding of constitutional law affects other areas of law.
Courts and the Judicial System Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of both substantive and procedural issues in the operation of our legal system; Perform legal analysis in the context of procedural issues and the judicial process; Communicate effectively on topics related to procedure and the judicial process; Demonstrate an understanding of how procedural issues and the judicial process affect all other area of our legal system.
Perspectives on the Law Learning outcomes: Demonstrate an understanding of how the law affects, and is affected by, the individual course topic; Perform legal analysis in the context of the individual course topic; Communicate effectively on the legal and other aspects of the individual course topic; Demonstrate the ability to use other disciplines to analyze legal issues relevant to the individual course topic, including economics, philosophy, and sociology, as appropriate.
Equity and Inclusion Learning outcomes: Demonstrate a core understanding of the varied legal aspects of equity and inclusion; Perform legal analysis in the context of topics related to equity and inclusion; Communicate effectively on the legal aspects of equity and inclusion; Demonstrate an understanding of how equity and inclusion are connected to and affected by a wide variety of legal and regulatory structures and doctrines.