The Right to Civic Education: A Conversation with U.S. District Judge William E. Smith

U.S. District Judge William E. Smith, who wrote the decision in the Rhode Island Civic Education case Cook v. McKee, will discuss the case and his views on the importance of civic education with Michael A. Rebell, lead counsel for the plaintiffs and executive director of the Center for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University. 

The decision in Cook v. McKee was extraordinary. Although Judge Smith decided against  the plaintiffs , he wrote a 50 page decision that emphasized in great detail the critical importance of civic education. In recent years, Judge Smith has become a strong advocate for civic education.  Andrew E. Brennen, co-founder and chair of Kentucky Student Voice Team, will introduce the discussion, and Nancy Xiong, a student organizer at Alliance Rhode Island South East and a former student plaintiff in Cook, will kick off the Q&A session. 

Join us for a fascinating event, with the lawyer who brought the case interviewing the judge who ruled against his clients. 

This event is co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition and Kentucky Student Voice Team.

Register here.