SRJC Street Law

Happy Lunar New Year! To all those who celebrate, wishes of health, prosperity and happiness.

FREE and open to the community! Thursday, February 19th: SRJC Black Lives Matter Legal Discussion Santa Rosa Junior College is hosting a legal panel discussion tomorrow night at 6 pm in the Dining Commons, Bertolini Student Center. #SRJC Panelists: ... Hon. Jeanne Martin Buckley (Ret.) http://bit.ly/1BmltrL Brien Farrell, ESQ. http://bit.ly/17grDww Hon. Anthony Wheeldin http://bit.ly/17qT72b Gail Flatt, ESQ http://bit.ly/1vGi28d Nancy Ann Palandati, ESQ (Sonoma County ACLU) http://bit.ly/1DraIoR Carolyn VanDyk, ESQ. Matthew McCaffrey, Chief of Police, SRJC http://bit.ly/1vWYSk3 See more

In 1984, Tina Turner's What's Love Got to Do with It, was the #1 song in America. Thirty-one years later the U.S. Supreme Court is still trying to answer the question. By summer 2015, the Court will rule on the power of the states to ban same-sex marriages and to refuse to recognize such marriages performed in another state. A week ago, the Court may have signaled which way the wind is blowing by declining to stay a federal court ruling allowing same-sex marriages in Alaba...ma. Justice Clarence Thomas chastised the decision to rule on lower court issues currently before the Supreme Court for consideration (http://1.usa.gov/1CaCJxC). His stinging dissent in the Alabama case illustrates just how complicated Fourteenth Amendment issues of equal protection and due process are. On his way to work, does Justice Thomas ever crank up the radio and sing along to Tina Turner's lyrics, I've been thinking about my own protection? An African-American man married to a Caucasian woman, his current marriage would be illegal without the landmark Fourteenth Amendment Supreme Court case, Loving v. Tennessee (1967)ii. After pleading guilty and being sentenced to one year in jail for violating Virginia's anti-miscegenation law (banning interracial marriage), Mildred and Richard Loving took their case to the Supreme Court. Ruling unanimously to overturn their conviction and strike down the Virginia law, the Court held, The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men. To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications is surely to deprive all the State’s citizens of liberty without due process of law.iii What's love got to do with the Supreme Court? Plenty. They will hear four new cases on same-sex marriage this term. The issue of race and sexuality may be different, but the current cases concern the same questions of equal protection and due process seen in Loving v. Tennessee (1967). Whatever the ruling this summer, it is likely to be one of the most important Supreme Court decisions in recent history. ____________ i Lyle Denniston, Court will rule on same-sex marriage (UPDATED),SCOTUSblog (Jan. 16, 2015, 3:39 PM), http://www.scotusblog.com//court-will-rule-on-same-sex-ma/. ii Loving v. Virginia. 388 US 1-13. Supreme Court of the US. 1967. US Supreme Court Opinions. FindLaw, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. iii "Loving v. Virginia." Bill of Rights Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

Join us at our next meeting, Wednesday, February 18th: 2nd floor of the Bertolini Student Center! All students are welcome. SRJC Street Law is a Santa Rosa Junior College student club. Our mission is to raise awareness and educate students and the community about law, democracy, and human rights. Read our full description by clicking on the "about" tab.

Today a group of Juniors from Healdsburg High School’s Internship Program visited the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. They had the opportunity to learn about ou...r operations, functions and the responsibilities of providing law enforcement services throughout the County as well as within the Town of Windsor and City of Sonoma. The group toured our Main Office which included our Dispatch Center, Central Information Bureau and Patrol Bureau. They also the chance to hear from the Sergeant in charge of the COPPS unit and see his patrol vehicle firsthand. Following that, the group also toured the Main Adult Detention Facility with a Detention Sergeant. And saw up-close and personal the functions of the jail. To finish off the day, the group was given a presentation by our Personnel staff who covered everything from the application and testing process, to backgrounds and gave the students an overall view of what it takes to have a career in law enforcement. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office welcomes educational and vocational tours. Any interested groups should contact CSO Jennifer Abrao in the Crime Prevention Unit at 707-565-6930.

#BlackHistoryMonth Spotlight: Shirley Chisholm, U.S. Congresswoman

Where do we draw the line between personal freedom and public safety? Do you agree with this article?

Can you name the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? Which rights are the most important to you? Why?

Everybody loves comfy jammies - here's how you can help one of the 60,000 foster kids in California.

Restorative Justice is a community-based approach to dealing with crime through offender accountability, amends to victims, and integration in the community. Restorative Resources works with Santa Rosa schools to respond to student misconduct utilizing Accountability Circles with the goal of repairing harm. Watch the following video about the dramatic impact of Restorative Justice in our schools. Bill Carle of the Santa Rosa City School Board states that only one expulsion hearing was held in the 2013-2014 school year, compared to 60 the previous year, and 120 the year before that.

Black History Month Spotlight: Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice "In recognizing the humanity in our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute" - Thurgood Marshall

Who are you more familiar with? 50% of Americans know James Madison was the "Father of the Constitution. 80% know Michael Jackson sang "Beat It": www.amrevmuseum.org.