Constitutional law talk captures teens’ attention
La Cañada High School students got a crash course Thursday on the Supreme Court and the real-world application of constitutional law on Thursday, when they were visited by an attorney who will be arguing before theU.S. Supreme Courtthis month that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional.
Jonathan Libby, a Deputy Federal Public Defender, who will be making arguments in front of the Supreme Court in 20 days, stopped in for a bit over an hour to explained his case, United States of America versus Alvarez, to the school’s junior and senior classes that had gathered in the school’s auditorium. students.
The high school’s junior and senior classes filled the school auditorium – with 600 seats, it was still standing room only – to hear Libby explain his argument asking the Supreme Court to rule that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional.
Most importantly, he cut right to the heart of his audience’s biggest concern.
“Are you guys going to be tested on this? That sucks,” said Libby, drawing a raucous laugh from the crowd.
Libby was the trial lawyer for Xavier Alvarez, a member of a California municipal water board who in 2007 falsely claimed during a meeting to have won the Medal of Honor. Under the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, making such claims is illegal and punishable by jail time, but after Libby appealed the initial conviction, California’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law was unconstitutional.
Libby was introduced by LCHS parent and fellow Atty. Guy Iversen, who stressed the rarity of hearing this sort of argument straight from the source.
“It’s a generational opportunity, to hear from a lawyer who will be appearing before the Supreme Court in 20 days,” Iversen said.
Previously, Iversen had given the Junior class a presentation on the Bill of Rights in May, and arranged for Jim Cartnal’s history classes to visit the 9th Circuit in Pasadena. He said that Cartnal’s efforts to give his students these opportunities stood out.
“[Cartnal] has just gone so far above and beyond what your typical teacher anywhere would do,” Iversen said.
For Craig Franzen, who teaches the senior government class, said the presentation allowed for his students to see the real world application of what they had been learning.
“It’s a rarity that students get to hear from or visit a court that’s so fundamental,” he said. “This is what we’re teaching about.”
Franzen said he hoped that the presentation, as well as the trips to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, would help inspire students.
“It’s great to help the students to get engaged and maybe get involved politically at an age when most are perhaps apathetic about the issues,” he said.
Several students peppered Libby with questions, including one seated high in the auditorium balcony who asked what it feels like to “defend people who you know are lying.” were engaged and interested in Libby’s presentation, based on the numerous questions they asked him.
“What is it like having to defend people who you know are lying?” asked one student asked from the balcony.
Libby got a round of applause when he replied, “I’m proud to defend the constitution of the United States of America.”
Iversen had to cut off the question and answer session well before students ran out of things to ask, so that the audience wouldn’t be late to their next classes. Iversen said that even after the presentation ended, several students came up to ask further questions of Libby, or to thank them for putting on the presentation.
“I had a whole bunch of kids came up,” Iversen said. “I was really really pleased with how engaged the kids were.”
Still But not every student in the audience agreed with Libby’s point of view.
“I don’t agree with pretty much anything he says,” said Stephen Costello, 18, a senior. “I would definitely rule in favor of the constitutionality of the law.”
-- Daniel Siegal, Times Community News
Twitter: @ValleySunDan