NCJ Number
136385
Date Published
1990
Length
64 pages
Annotation
A fundamental hypothesis of the Law in a Free Society (LFS) program is that education can increase a person's capacity and inclination to act effectively and responsibly.
Abstract
It follows that the role of educational institutions should be to help students increase their capacity to make intelligent choices. To this end, the LFS curriculum is designed to increase student understanding of democratic institutions and principles, to develop the skills young people need to help them become responsible citizens, and to increase the understanding and willingness of students to use democratic processes when making decisions and managing conflict. The LFS curriculum is based on four concepts fundamental to understanding constitutional democracy: justice, authority, privacy, and responsibility. Each of these concepts is developed sequentially in scope and complexity, from Level I (grades K-1) to Level VI (grades 10-12). The teacher's guide to the Level VI responsibility component of the curriculum is organized around topical questions to provide a systematic approach to the analysis and evaluation of responsibility in its social, political, and legal aspects. Four units focus on the importance of responsibility, costs and benefits associated with the fulfillment of responsibility, the ability to make informed choices among competing responsibilities and interests, and the concept of responsibility as referring to a person or group that is responsible for something that has happened. The teacher's guide for each unit is designed to complement and extend skill-building activities in the student text.