“Know Your Rights” Support
Legal protections in schools can often be murky. With the increased presence of police in schools and Massachusetts’ current focus on reforming approaches to school discipline, it is more important than ever for students and parents to feel confident advocating for themselves and their children. A4E will spend time this year developing Know Your Rights content in areas such as school discipline, special education, language translation entitlements, and constitutional protections for students. We are currently forming partnerships with a number of student groups in Boston towards which we will focus our support.
Community Service in Schools
We believe it is important to spend time working side by side with those we aim to serve. A4E will have regular weekend opportunities to visit schools in and around Boston and work with members of the community. Projects may include school beautification and creating “care packages” of school supplies for students.
Professional Development Opportunities
One of A4E’s central goals is to help connect Harvard students with professionals working in the field of education law and policy to show that it is a viable, critical, and rewarding pathway out of law school. Throughout the school year, we will host a number of lunch talks, happy hour mixers, and panels to present students with a sampling of how education advocates have used their J.D. to inform their work, and to keep us on top of current issues in the field. In the process, we hope to foster a community of people passionate about this work, at HLS and beyond.