University of Maryland Law School Creates New Course in Social Justice: 'Freddie Gray's Baltimore' (VIDEO)

Well, everything's about "social justice" nowadays, isn't it?

At the Baltimore Sun, "Syllabus for law school's Freddie Gray course says unrest 'almost certainly not over'":

A new course at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law titled "Freddie Gray's Baltimore: Past, Present, and Moving Forward" aims a wide lens at the 25-year-old man's death and the "serious recent disturbances" that followed — which it says are "almost certainly not over" and require deep analysis.

"The course is not viewed by its organizers as an end in itself," reads the course overview, provided Wednesday by Professor Michael Greenberger. "Rather, it is intended to be a springboard for further and deeper academic teaching and writing efforts, clinical work, and student and faculty involvement in citizen and government efforts to reform law and policy in the subject matter areas" of "policing; criminal justice; housing; health care; education; poverty; and community development and joblessness."

Gray was arrested in April and suffered a severe spinal cord injury while in police custody. His death from the injury sparked demonstrations against police brutality across Baltimore. On the day of his funeral, rioting, looting and arson broke out.

"These events, which are almost certainly not over, have highlighted and/or uncovered serious on-going social and financial dislocations within the City," the syllabus reads.

Six Baltimore Police officers have been criminally charged in Gray's arrest and death; all have pleaded not guilty. The legal process leading to their trials is still in its early stages.

Greenberger, the course administrator, will be joined in teaching or planning the eight-week course by 12 other professors at the law school. The syllabus also lists Sherilynn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, as another "tentative" organizer and teacher, of a class on the causes and implications of housing segregation.

The coursework will also be "supplemented by other academics, experts, and officeholders," though the syllabus does not identify those people.

Students, the syllabus reads, will be "apprised throughout the course of volunteer opportunities to work on the issues addressed in the course."

More.

Also at the Wall Street Journal, "Law School Launches ‘Freddie Gray’ Course."

And from the course description:

The idea for this course emanates from the recent disturbances in Baltimore arising from Freddie Gray’s arrest and his resulting death. These events have highlighted and/or uncovered serious on-going social and financial dislocations within the City. The course will examine the recent unrest itself and then examine the causes of, and possible solutions to, those dislocations, including an examination of problems in policing; criminal justice; housing; health care; education; poverty; and community development and joblessness.

The course is not viewed by its organizers as an end in itself. Rather, it is intended to be a springboard for further student and faculty involvement in citizen and government efforts to reform law and policy in the subject matter areas listed above. Students will be apprised throughout the course of volunteer opportunities to work on the issues addressed in the course.

And here's the statement from the university, "New Maryland Carey Law Course Examines Causes and Solutions to Baltimore’s Recent Civil Unrest":

In response to the recent disturbances in Baltimore following  the death of Freddie Gray, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is offering a new course titled, “Freddie Gray’s Baltimore: Past, Present, and Moving Forward.”

The eight-week course, which begins in September, will be taught by Maryland Carey Law faculty members as well as other academics, practicing professionals and elected officials.  It will be open to students from the law school and the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

The course will examine the unrest in Baltimore as well as its causes and possible solutions by focusing on social, economic and other issues, including policing practices, criminal justice, access to housing, health care, education, joblessness and community development.

“We see this course as an opportunity for our students to grapple with important issues in their backyard” said Dean Donald B. Tobin. “We want not only to educate our students but to inspire them to act on what they’ve learned and work with our neighbors in West Baltimore to strengthen our community and city.”

Throughout the course, students will be apprised of volunteer opportunities to work on the issues addressed in each session.

More.

I don't actually see the course syllabus anywhere, although so far I'm underwhelmed.