New ABA President Michael S. Greco launches civic education drive

In spite of the fact that a very large majority — some 82 percent — of U.S. adults believe the constitutional concept of separation of powers is important, fewer than half can correctly identify its meaning. Only 55 percent of American adults are able to identify the three branches of government, and fewer than half know that a core responsibility of the federal judiciary is to determine how existing law applies to the facts of a case.

A bit more encouraging, nearly two-thirds of Americans were able to identify the principle of checks and balances, and almost all — 86 percent — thought it an important concept. The results of a recent poll conducted for the ABA by Harris Interactive were released by incoming ABA President Michael S. Greco during his Annual Meeting press conference on Aug. 8, where he said, “There’s a lot of good news in this poll. It shows that the average American understands enough to know that the different branches of government have distinct roles,” but noted that much remains to be done.

Thus, Greco has outlined civic education, particularly as it relates to separation of powers and the role of the judiciary, as one of his key initiatives for this coming year. He has appointed a Commission on Civic Education and Separation of Powers with the goal of improving public understanding of the government functions. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey are serving as honorary co-chairs, and Cleveland lawyer Robert H. Rawson Jr. will serve as working chair.

In addition to the poll numbers that indicate Americans could stand to know more about their government, another cause for concern — and part of the reasoning behind the Commission — is recent extremist attacks on the judiciary. “If we do not protect our courts, our courts cannot protect us,” said Greco. The Commission will seek to educate the public on the judiciary and its importance, in hopes of curtailing further attacks and ensuring continued independence of the judiciary.

Among President Greco’s other priorities are the creation of a Task Force on Access to Civil Justice, and re-invigorating public service by the legal profession through the establishment of the ABA Commission on the Renaissance of Idealism in the Legal Profession. Listen to President Greco speaking about his initiatives here, or read more about them here.

In related news, the ABA created a new Web site to encourage and facilitate holding conversations on the Constitution, with materials geared to middle and high school students and adult workplaces. The site also has a quiz where people can test their historical knowledge and, during the month of September, a link to request a copy of a pocket-sized Constitution. The site was created to coincide with September 17, the time-honored, but little known, celebration of Constitution Day — the day marking the 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia. Legislation signed into law last year that seeks to make Constitution Day more well-known requires schools, federal agencies, and other entities that receive federal funding to sponsor discussions or events on the Constitution on that day.

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