July 1 is the day new Florida laws officially go into effect, and Florida’s 12 law schools are grading the new laws to see if they pass or fail when it comes to racial justice.
The evaluation is part of a project called Florida Law Schools’ Consortium For Racial Justice.
“The 12 deans of the Florida Law schools got together in recognition of the responsibility that law students and law schools have in advancing social justice and preventing inequalities. And so a year ago today the schools announced the consortium,” said Florida Law Schools’ Consortium For Racial Justice co-chair, Joann Grages Burnett.
Stetson Law School Professor, Judith Scully is also the co-chair for the Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice. She explained the grades for laws passed during this last legislative session. What many refer to as The Protest Bill, didn’t do so well. The Voting Rights bill scored low too but police reform got a passing grade.
“We’re really looking at any of the laws and all of the laws, trying to determine which one of the laws would have a negative impact in terms of racial justice and racial equity. And which one of the laws will have positive,” Scully said.
It’s a examination law schools all over the state are evaluating.
Florida Law Schools’ Consortium For Racial Justice participating schools are:
- Ave Maria School of Law
- Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
- Florida A&M University College of Law
- Florida Coastal School of Law
- Florida International University College of Law
- Florida State U. College of Law
- Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
- St. Thomas University School of Law
- Stetson University College of Law
- University of Florida Levin College of Law
- University of Miami School of Law
- Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School Tampa Bay Campus
Florida Law Schools’ Consortium For Racial Justice is a student lead project - a project the state’s top law schools believe will result in some real changes.
“I hope that we can encourage people to be racial justice champions. I hope people in the legislature look to us and want to be partners with us as we look forward to create a more just community as we look forward to create a more just state,” Grages Burnett said.
So what’s the state’s final grade this session?
“We are really moving backwards in a major way around racial justice and although we have a few steps forward, a few small steps forwards. It’s not enough and we have a lot of work to do in the state of Florida,” Scully said.
The Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice will continue their work every legislative session. They’re also starting a website to educate the public on laws and their impacts
“Each of the law schools has made a commitment that we will appreciate the special responsibility that we had to not only advance racial justice in our communities but also to train culturally competent lawyers so that they can go out and advance racial justice in their communities,” Grages Burnett said.