Professor Barbara Bennett Woodhouse, the David H. Levin Chair in Family Law and Director for the Center on Children and Families and Family Law Certificate Program, and Co-Director, Institute for Child and Adolescent Research and Evaluation (ICARE) at the University of Florida Levin College of Law will present “The Courage of Innocence: Children as Heroes in the Struggle for Justice” on Wednesday, October 22 at 4 p.m. in the Max L. Rowe Auditorium as the 69th David C. Baum Lecture on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights dating to 1973.
We are all familiar with the saying that “children should be seen but not heard.” Minors’ rights to direct participation, even in cases involving their own destinies, have been severely limited, based on the idea that they lack the capacity to speak and act in matters or grave importance or need protection form harsh realities. Yet American history is rich with examples of children's participation in social justice movements, including the labor movement, the civil rights movement and the struggle to secure equal access to education. A certain “courage of innocence”--a belief in the possibility of change--has characterized youth engagement and has played an invaluable role in motivating elders who had grown tired and complacent. Using narratives drawn from history and contemporary cases, Professor Woodhouse will argue that the voices of children and youth are an essential component of civil and political rights. Drawing on examples from the U.S. and abroad, she will propose models for engaging children and youth in policy-making and judicial deliberation. Join us for this compelling and timely lecture!
Comments