William S. Hart U.S.D & College of the Canyons

Marcy Calnan, JD, MEd.

William S. Hart U.S.D & College of the Canyons

Global Competence Summit, 2016

Objective(s): Students will be able to investigate and explore the worst Man-made Disasters, Environmental Impact and Global Legal Ramifications. Students will be able to recognize domestic and global investigatory bodies and advance needed action through legal argument with specific evidence.

Standards:

CTE Public Services: 2.0-10.0

2.0 Communications

Acquire and accurately use Public Services sector terminology and protocols at the career and college readiness level for communicating effectively in oral, written, and multimedia formats.

3.0 Career Planning and Management

Integrate multiple sources of career information from diverse formats to make informed career decisions, solve problems, and manage personal career plans.

4.0 Technology

Use existing and emerging technology to investigate, research, and produce products and services, including new information, as required in the Public Services sector workplace environment.

5.0 Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Conduct short, as well as more sustained, research to create alternative solutions to answer a question or solve a problem unique to the Public Services sector using critical and creative thinking, logical reasoning, analysis, inquiry, and problem-solving techniques.

7.0 Responsibility and Flexibility

Initiate, and participate in, a range of collaborations demonstrating behaviors that reflect personal and professional responsibility, flexibility, and respect in the Public Services sector workplace environment and community settings.

8.0 Ethics and Legal Responsibilities

Practice professional, ethical, and legal behavior, responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives and resolving contradictions when possible, consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational norms.

9.0 Leadership and Teamwork

Work with peers to promote divergent and creative perspectives, effective leadership, group dynamics, team and individual decision making, benefits of workforce diversity, and conflict resolution as practiced in the Cal-HOSA and SkillsUSA career technical student organizations.

CTE Legal Practices Pathway Standards:

C1.2 Identify the primary legal practice settings (e.g., private firms, government and public- sector entities, corporate counsel, and public interest practice), and explain the nature and scope of each practice area.

C1.3 Identify, by practice area, the types of clients served and related legal needs and issues.

C1.8 Contrast the fundamental features of civil, criminal, and administrative law.

C2.0 Demonstrate an understanding and ability to utilize legal research and writing.

C3.2 Describe the tort of negligence and the elements of negligence.

C3.3 Describe defenses to negligence actions, including strict and product liability.

C8.4 Discuss how social media can be used by governments or individuals to suppress or enhance freedom of expressions.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Personal Outcome: To become aware of his/her own culture and influence on one’s behavior.
2. Cultural Outcome: To understand intercultural perspectives on preventing and responding to man-made environmental disasters.
3. Global Outcome: To demonstrate concern about world’s sustainability.

Unit Name:

Groundtruthing, Grassroots Legal Advocacy & Community Paralegals

in Environmental Regulation & Litigation

Students will explore Groundtruthing and the role of community paralegals. The students will research some of the worst man-made global disasters in history. Small groups will then compose a multi-media project to demonstrate a current man-made “disaster” that is negatively impacting their own environment and how they could use it to persuade a responsible agency to get involved. The groups will exhibit their presentations to the class. The class of students will constructively critique and evaluate the presentations. Each small group will reflect on the feedback, make necessary improvements, and then submit the project for a grade.

Timing of Activities:

[5 min]

Read & Watch video on the Introduction to Groundtruthing: https://namati.org/news/groundtruthing-webinar/

[7-10 min]

Watch videos on Community Paralegals:

https://namati.org/ourwork/paralegals/

https://namati.org/news/video-land-laws-barefoot-lawyers/

[1 hour- several weeks] Grassroots Legal Advocacy Groups for each Disaster will draft a Legally Persuasive Summary as part of a multi-media campaign.

[10 min. per group]Exhibit the Multi-media Campaign piece

[10 min.]Evaluate the Campaigns

[30-45 min.]Reflect and Finalize Campaigns

Class Discussion Questions:

1. After reflecting on the student group exhibits, what challenges do you see when building evidence for justice?

2. What are the multiple and contradictory perspectives on the mission of groundtruthing environmental compliance?

3. Compare and contrast grassroots legal advocates, community paralegals, and community based legal assistance.

4. What are the purposes of voluntary settlements, mandatory compensation funds, class actions, individual lawsuits? Explain the common criticisms for each resolution?

5. What are the benefits and obstacles to reactive versus proactive initiatives?

6. Evaluating the employment opportunities- career paralegal, project-based paralegal, volunteer paralegal, public service paralegal, and government employed paralegal.

Assessment:

Disposition (empathy and considered multiple perspectives) / Knowledge (understanding of current events and applicability to future events) / Skills (thorough exploration, capable of international conversations, promotion of partnerships for action)
Nascent-unfamiliar / No exploration / No knowledge of the world or current events nor of intercultural conditions. / No global issues or perspectives.
Beginning-familiar / Can identify personal beliefs and experiences that shape my world view. / Basic understanding of global events, basic recognition of the interconnected of the world, awareness of one’s own culture and of different cultures. / Can discuss global engagement and culture
Progressing- / Understanding one’s perspective is not universal. Willingness to explore the perspectives of those who challenge my beliefs. / Ability to articulate geographical, historical, economic, political, social, or cultural influences on current events. Seeking opportunities to experience other cultures. / Engaged learning about global issues, learning to respect diverse perspectives, integrated learning experience with content standards, demonstrate active listening, critical thinking and perspective recognition within conversations with individuals from other cultures
Proficient- frequent, authentic, constructive feedback with differentiated perspectives / Empathizing by seeking to understand the perspectives of others. Engaging in opportunities to address issues of inequity. Assisting others to recognize inequities. / Seeking out sources to understand contrasting perspectives on an issue. Ability to explain global issues in other nations. Experienced cultural immersion and reflected upon how it related to my own cultural constructs. Ability to navigate intercultural interactions. / Collaboratively discusses global issues, integrates real-world challenges that align with content standards, demonstrate active listening, critical thinking and perspective recognition within conversations with individuals from other cultures, develops local/national/and/or international partnerships, provides constructive feedback.
Advanced- capable of proficient analysis and evaluation of their own work / Challenging my personal assumptions to understand viewpoints different from mine. Valuing diverse perspectives. Actively seeking to understand why inequities exist. Leading others to act on issues of equity. / Regularly seek resources from varied perspectives. Critically analyze how global interconnectedness contributes to inequities within and between nations. Able to explain how my actions relate to the world. Multiple Cultural immersion experiences with critical self -reflection and ability to help others navigate intercultural communication. / Concern for global issues, demonstrates a desire to take action, reflects on global learning experiences, engaged in supporting the school community in its global endeavors, demonstrate active listening, critical thinking and perspective recognition within conversations with individuals from other cultures, guides partnerships in developing their own global learning opportunities, evaluate one’s own global competence development.

Resources:

http://list25.com/25-biggest-man-made-environmental-disasters-in-history/

http://www.deepwaterhorizonsettlements.com

http://law2.wlu.edu/deptimages/law%20review/68-3n.18Partlett%20Weaver.pdf

https://www.oecd-nea.org/law/fukushima/7089-fukushima-compensation-system-pp.pdf

Link to industry and job information

https://www.legalstudies.com/community-based-legal-assistance-alternative-careers-for-paralegals/

http://www.legalfiles.com/Portals/0/articles/class_distinction.pdf

https://www.sba.gov/loans-grants/see-what-sba-offers/sba-loan-programs/disaster-loans/office-disaster-assistance-employment

https://www.usajobs.gov

https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Frankly-Legal-RVW9244784.htm

https://namati.org/news/sustainability-of-paralegal-projects/