HEATHER HILL
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

At a Classroom Law Project workshop Richard English, left, received his Civic Educator of the Year award from Governor John Kitzhaber. English teaches two AP government classes and four global studies classes at PHS in addition to coaching the extracurricular Mock Trial and Constitution Competition teams. COURTESY COMMUNITY LAW PROJECT

When asked why he thought the non-profit organization Classroom Law Project awarded him the Civic Educator of the Year award for the 2011-2012 school year, Parkrose High School social studies teacher Richard English replied, “In my opinion, Classroom Law Project should get an award every year for sponsoring these types of programs for kids.” While he credits the non-profit, which since 1983 has facilitated such civics programs as Mock Trial and the 'We the People' Constitution Competition for thousands of students in grades 5 to12 statewide, it falls on teachers like English to dedicate their time and effort to institute Classroom Law Project activities in their schools.

CLP is only as strong as the sum of its parts: a collection of educators, lawyers, and civic leaders with a mission to teach students to become active citizens. In addition, CLP sponsors courtroom observation experiences for youth, and hosts a variety of workshops and conferences for both teachers and students including a summer institute on the Constitution, a Law Day conference, an international Democracy Camp, and a Street Law program introducing Lewis and Clark law students to teach practical law lessons in high school classrooms. CLP commended English for his participation and implementation of these programs at Parkrose.

English joined Parkrose High School when he returned to Portland in 1995. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in history from the University of Oregon, a stint in the Peace Corps had taken him to the Democratic Republic of Congo, called Zaire at the time. A coup in the central African country caused English to be evacuated to Washington DC, where he took advantage of a returning Peace Corps program through which he obtained his masters degree in teaching at George Washington University. Certified to teach social studies and English as a Second Language education, English started at PHS on a temporary basis, taught ESL for a few years, and finally found a full-time home in the social studies department.

English currently teaches four global studies classes and two Advanced Placement government classes. He first came into contact with CLP in 2002 through a fellow teacher, and in short order decided to bring a Mock Trial team back to Parkrose after a seven year absence. A few years later, he decided to convene a 'We the People' Constitution Competition team from his AP government class. For a number of years, English also helped coach Parkrose's Model United Nations. However, this year, for the first time in decades, budget cuts and time constraints have forced them to abandon the program.

The school is operating with half the social studies staff from just eight years ago. Student enrollment has not fallen in proportion. Teachers like English regularly coach extracurricular activities in addition to educating 40 plus students per class.

This year, 40 PHS students participated in the 'We the People' Constitution Competition, the largest enrollment since English introduced the competition to Parkrose in 2006. The team earned two unit awards out of six possible in the regional competition held on Jan. 10, the highest standing they have earned thus far. “I am very happy with what they did,” English commented.

Lincoln, Franklin, and Grant High Schools regularly win top regional honors, and this year followed suit. “There are a lot of good schools that do it that I am indebted to,” English said regarding his competition. “It is fun to watch the other schools as well but I'm glad the east side is represented.”

Instituted in collaboration with the Center for Civic Education, the national 'We the People' Constitution Competition provides participants with three constitutional questions. Coaches and volunteer assistants help students prepare answers that demonstrate their understanding of the principals upon which the United States was founded and continues to operate. During the competition, students are asked to evaluate, adopt and defend positions on given issues during a simulated congressional hearing before a panel of prominent citizens who judge them by the level of civic conversation that takes place.

English emphasized that volunteer assistance is essential to a team's success. The lack of enough volunteer support caused him to abstain from last year's competition. However, “The volunteers that I have are awesome,” he said. He praised Katie Lorenz at the US Attorney's office for volunteering her time to assist him with this competition, but noted that the program can always use more volunteers.

Perhaps more widely recognized, the Mock Trial competition provides participants with hands-on justice system education by staging hypothetical court cases before a legal panel in actual courtrooms. English was not the only one to bring Parkrose success in this endeavor. The school's team won the 1992 state competition under coach Michele DeShaw. However, he did revive the program after the hiatus that followed DeShaw's departure with the help of PHS graduate and attorney Jessie Minger, now Jessie Gnanananthan.

“In the first year we were in the last place. By the third year we earned a state berth which we had not earned in 11 years,” English recalled. English continues to field one or two teams yearly. This year's competition wraps up in mid-March, with the state finalists progressing to the national championship that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico in May. English is optimistic about his team, but admits that the competition has grown more challenging every year.

English acknowledges that his students and the future generation face increasing obscurity in the field, “It's harder to be informed about civic matters today because there is so much information, and the Internet is the reason,” he said. Teachers like English help students navigate the murky waters between law, policy and politics by educating them on the history that built the foundations of our society and others.

The complexity of civic issues crosses disciplines, and so English emphasized that the Civic Educator of the Year award should be shared. “There are so many good teachers at Parkrose that I share this award with who support me by teaching the kids to read and think critically, by teaching them history and how to write and how to speak.” He also credited student participation and parental support. “The kids that participate have gotten a lot of good parental support from the community. I'm not the only one. I want to share this with the other teachers, especially with my social studies colleagues.”

Self-effacing English will be happy once other headlines replace the picture of him standing with Governor Kitzhaber on the school's webpage. Kitzhaber posed for the photo-op after CLP presented English with the award during the Oregon civics conference for teachers. “The first thing he brought up was that he went to South Eugene [high school] in 1965 and Parkrose beat them in basketball,” English recalled.

Teachers like English attract recognition to Parkrose's academic efforts as well, but with tight budgets, more schools reach to outside programs sponsored by non-profits like CLP to compensate for program shortfalls. Civics educators, like English, would work in the obscurity of their overflowing classes were it not for organizations like CLP to recognize their efforts. English took his opportunity in the spotlight to help repay the favor, “If anybody in East County would like to help out Classroom Law Project,” he said, “they are a non-profit and their funding has suffered because of the economy, but what they do is invaluable for students. If there are any businesses in the area that can help, please help out any way you can.”

Today, young people have more entertaining diversions than civic involvement. Competitions like 'We the People' and Mock Trial introduce civic issues in ways that engage students' attention. English reiterated why fostering student involvement is crucial to the development of East County as a whole. “East County represents a large portion of the population of Portland,” he commented, “but in East County our voices are not heard as much. We are not the Pearl, we are not Hawthorne, we are not Belmont or the west side, but there are people here; and there are young people out here and they need to be represented, and they need to be engaged because decisions are being made that will affect their livelihoods here in east Portland.”

To learn more, volunteer or donate, the Community Law Project's website is classroomlaw.org.