Judge Slomsky visits LM

Noah Barkan ’24 Opinions Editor

How can we best initiate student involvement in law and public policy?

How can the next generation of leaders be properly introduced to these fields of study? What is the best way to initiate legal studies for the youth?

These are the different questions that LM’s Government teachers wanted to address this past December in an inspiring discussion with Pennsylvania Federal Judge, Honorable Joel Slomsky. Civic Engagement Club sponsor and Government teacher, Erin Laney asserts the importance of engagement in pub lic fields. In speaking to her role in the education of students within the scope of government, she relays that participa tion “is not innate, it is built and learned and we must nourish it with education, with events and activities, and with a small dose of peer pressure.” Specifi cally, Laney speaks to the importance of political involvement in high school and its transfer to life-long behaviors. “The most important part of student civic engagement,” she simply puts, “is keeping students engaged.” Such has clearly been defended in academia; one study ran using the National Educational Longitu dinal Study as empirical evidence notes a correlation between youth voter par ticipation—along with a myriad of other factors such as community service—and lifelong voter status. That’s why when Judge Slomsky reached out to LM’s Government teachers, Laney jumped at the opportunity to have him speak.

Students had a lengthy Q&A section in which they were able to ask questions pertaining to Slomsky’s day-to-day life, experiences as a judge, and career pathway. Slomsky then shared in a later interview that his pathway to becoming a federal judge started with his work as a federal prosecutor, which was followed by his work as a defense lawyer for over 30 years. He notes with heartfelt sincerity that even after years of experience,

Wake up, LM!

By placing middle school in the third tier with the latest end time, it may limit the ability of these students to participate in various after-school activities. In fact, later start times also receive pushback due to the impact they have on student athletes and their ability to practice outdoors, as evenings become darker earlier in the fall.

Transportation and staffing implications also seem to play a major role in finalizing a plan for new start times. The district is currently facing a bus driver shortage, which could potentially be exacerbated by delaying school start and end times. Particularly, the Board mentions that planning must take into consideration the effect that new schedules will have on the bus driver workday and compensation, especially if late buses will continue to run. In terms of staffing, questions arise regarding how teacher contracts may change due to a ten minute increase in the day for elementary schools and a twenty minute decrease in the day for high schools, according to the Secondary Swap model. In spite of the many challenges, the Board is committed to finding compromise and moving into a healthy future. Shafer explains, “LMSD has addressed the ‘if:’ The Lower Merion Board of School Directors is committed to making a change that will benefit our students. They have targeted September 2023 as a goal for implementation. The question of ‘how’ we do it often leads to debate about the best way to maximize the beneficial impact.” One method being utilized to ensure the success of the September 2023 implementation is the collection of surveys from students, staff, and community members. District residents are also encouraged to voice their opinion on the topic via email (SLEEP@lmsd.

org) in the coming months. Additionally, the Board plans to hold various engagement forums to educate the public on the Secondary Swap proposal and the importance of healthy start times. Nearby school districts that have already installed healthy start times, such as Radnor School District, also provided LMSD with references to help its transition into new schedules. Communication between the Board and the public will play a major role in the success of new start times, so Shafer advises, “please share your voices with us – it matters!”

Individuals across LMSD agree that sleep deprivation is detrimental to students’ physical and mental wellbeing. Junior Dylan Spivak, an advocate for later start times, comments, “I am extremely excited for the long, overdue implementation of the school start times. The mental and physical health of our students are finally being prioritized. The effects will be immediate and evident.” Fortunately, with major developments underway, it seems new beginnings are approaching in 2023.

Honorable Judge Slomsky serves as a Senior United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylva nia where he presides over civil, criminal, appellate and non-appellate cases. Throughout his speaking event, Slomsky emphasized the importance of the Constitution in his job. Slomsky handed students in attendance a miniature pocket Constitution and directed their attention to several articles spelling out their influence in daily life. When asked about the Constitution’s importance after the event, Slomsky states that, “the US constitution is what brings together a diverse society of 330 million peoples.” Slomsky shares a truly inspiring sentiment: “you go through your daily life, you don’t think about the US Constitution, but the US Constitution is thinking about you.”