Students’ Mock Trial Ponders Blame for Titanic

Mixing courtroom drama and real-life mystery, students at the Laurence 2000 elementary school staged a mock trial Thursday based on the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

About 60 fifth- and sixth-graders at the private school participated in the trial. Jurors had to determine whether Capt. Edward J. Smith was guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the 1,500 Titanic deaths.

Students played the roles of defense and prosecuting attorneys--in power suits and high heels--and witnesses, who wore period costumes. Children also comprised the jury, which was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

“It gives them a positive experience learning about the judicial system,” said Lauren Wolke, the school’s assistant director and an attorney.

“It’s interesting to grapple with issues that have no right or wrong answer.”

This was the 10th year students put on a mock trial, Wolke said. Past trials involved fairy tale characters, she said; this was the first time they tried a case based on a real event.

“It was nice to do a case kids could really research,” Wolke said. “They’re all familiar with the Titanic, so they were excited to be involved.”

As part of an elective course, students researched the case for six months, helped select jury members and wrote the script.

Mock jury notices were sent to students.

Sixth-grader Kate Weiskopf, who played the judge, said she learned about legal terminology. “It was a lot of fun overruling and sustaining objections,” said Kate, 12.