Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws
From Words to Action: Behind the Implementation of Dickinson Law’s Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws Course
After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Penn State Dickinson Law faculty unanimously passed a resolution condemning violence against people of color. These were not just words on paper. Though traumatic public events often prompt the sharing of thoughts and reflections without further action, this resolution marked a new beginning introducing changes at Dickinson Law. A second resolution adopting an antiracist approach to legal education unanimously passed soon after the first. By implementing this focus in the curriculum, Dickinson Law has taken measurable action to combat systemic inequality, which threatens the rule of law.
Faculty worked quickly to institute a new course, “Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws,” that is now a requirement for first-year students. The changes came swiftly, with the course kicking off at the start of the 2020-2021 academic year, months after Floyd’s killing. “A statement is never enough,” said Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway. “Action has to follow these statements and resolutions. Compassion and commitment animate the work.”
Watch this video, featuring Dean Conway, Professor of Law Dermot Groome, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Lawyering Skills Amy C. Gaudion, and Professor of Law Michael Mogill, to learn how this course came to fruition:
Additional Resources
The First Look: Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws
This video provides a detailed look at the background and pedagogical methodology of Penn State Dickinson Law’s “Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws” course. Watch select excerpts of presentations from course participants, including faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as testimonials about the curriculum from first-year law students.
Related Publications
BUILDING AN ANTIRACIST LAW SCHOOL: INCLUSIVITY IN ADMISSIONS AND RETENTION OF DIVERSE STUDENTS—LEADERSHIP DETERMINES DEI SUCCESS
Rutgers Race and the Law Review, Forthcoming
Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid Bekah Saidman-Krauss, Director of Admissions Rebecca Schreiber
EXPLORING RACE AND RACISM IN THE LAW SCHOOL CURRICULUM: AN ADMINISTRATOR’S VIEW ON ADOPTING AN ANTIRACIST CURRICULUM
Rutgers Race and the Law Review, Forthcoming
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor of Law Amy C. Gaudion
EDUCATING ANTIRACIST LAWYERS: THE RACE AND THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS PROGRAM AT DICKINSON LAW
Rutgers Race and the Law Review, Forthcoming
Professor of Law Dermot Groome
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