From my Law Students Every Friday Night

Every Friday night at 6:30 pm when the rest of the students and my colleagues are either on their way home or out for dinner or to see a movie, my students come to see me. Now, that does not have to do totally with me, my class Race & the Law allows them to fill an important requirement in their legal education. But just like everything, they did not have to choose my class, on that night with this subject but they did. And I learn so much from them every time I stand before them.

First, I learn that I do not know everything and that their perspective and life experiences can bring as much richness to the class as they allow. I also re-live the complicated sometimes insane place they are in...

I also learn that they care about the legal profession that they are entering and they open themselves up in way I think many of them never expected.

Why? Because we cover topics that most people accross cultures never even broach...like "what does it mean to be White in America?" And why does it make some of them feel uncomfortable about the term "White people" because they do not think in the collective. They also have to reflect on how our legal system and their legal education positioned them to deal with the real life issues of poverty, racism, privilege, if at all? How do we define all those things and why does it matter?

My students look at the development of the concept of race. And they choose to grapple with questions of interracial adoption, enviromental racism and affirmative action. They do not just parrot back the law and someone elses analysis, they have to own the topic and reflect on it week after week. And then present it their peers!

These are topics that many of them have thought about but have not analyzed or grappled with in a truly academic way. And most importantly they are asked the hard questions...like so what do you do about any of it? And what is your personal responsibility? Can anyone really be objective about the tough issues and those tough conversations? And most importantly objective from who's point of view!

Ultimately, they must begin with a look at their own bias and how that affects how they see the law, their clients and their peers. And then they must work through and analyze what that means about them! Are you a racist if you believe in being White and the ethnic heritage that comes with that? Do you as a White person ever have to really think about being white? Or isn't that the definition of being White?

How do you get past shame and blame to have a constructive discussion about White Privilege? How often have you had to even think of that during your law school education?

Often times when we look in the mirror, myself included, we do not always see what we want. I hope, however, that when someone leaves my class for good they are now more conscious of themselves and thus of others. Only then can we move past the stereotypes and on to true understanding...only then will we find the true unexpected joys found by interacting with each other from positions of mutual respect and understanding...call me optimistic...but isn't that all we truly have to hold to...