Chief Justice Applauds Civic Education Efforts, Highlights Street Law’s Supreme Court Summer Institute

In his “2019 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary,” Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized the importance of civic education and the role the judiciary can play in strengthening it.

The Chief Justice’s report celebrated the good work of the federal courts to increase civic knowledge in Americans and called on the judiciary to “continue their efforts to promote public confidence in the judiciary, both through their rulings and through civic outreach.”

The report also highlighted the efforts of several organizations working alongside Street Law in the civic education field. The Chief Justice specifically mentioned the Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers, which Street Law has conducted in partnership with the Supreme Court Historical Society since 1995. The Institute is Street Law’s premier teacher professional development opportunity and has helped more than 1,200 social studies teachers improve the way they teach about our highest court.

The Chief Justice has played an important role in the Supreme Court Summer Institute since its inception. While still a practicing lawyer and Supreme Court advocate, he provided valuable input on the Institute’s design in the 1990s, and he taught the Institute’s opening session (“Introduction to Supreme Court Practice”) for many years. Since joining the Court in 2005, he frequently hosts participating teachers at a reception at the Court. He has also made time to meet with international jurists who have visited the Court as part of Street Law’s programming.

Street Law applauds the Chief Justice’s commitment to improving and expanding civic education in the United States and appreciates the special efforts he’s taken to enhance Street Law’s programs.

View the full “2019 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary.”

Learn more about the Supreme Court Summer Institute.

Photo credit: Steve Petteway