The decorum in the seventh-grade classroom was impressive.
Students stood up when recognized with a word and a nod. “Council.”
“Your honor,” the student began.
Learning about the work of the Judicial Branch came alive in David Ley’s classroom on November 27, through a visit from Senior Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker, a United States District Judge serving in the Southern District of Indiana, was in town to spend Thanksgiving with family. John Jay Middle School, where her grandchild McCall Rogers is a student, was one of her first stops.
While Judge Barker wasn’t wearing her black robe, she might has well have been. Her presence was that stately.
They began by speaking about why judges wear robes. Judge Barker showed them a picture of the United States Supreme Court, all in black robes. “Your honor,” said one student, “I think the robe blocks out all of the differences so that the work takes priority.”
“Very good, Council,” said Judge Barker. She added that she thought about how students would be dressed when she prepared for her visit. She wore trousers and a jacket-length sweater. “I didn’t realize it would be pajama day!”
Ley read dozens of students’ questions and let Judge Barker pick the ones to address.
In response to students’ asking what one of her hardest decisions was, she told them about sentencing a young mother to a five-years prison term because of drug possession. “Sometimes the decisions the law requires are really hard,” she said. “We follow the rule of law.”
She told students of two safeguards: Judges have life tenure, and there is no diminution of their pay. She let them think through why.
"Your honor,” said one student, “Judges have to make hard decisions. If you don’t like their decision, appeal. Don’t punish the judge.”
“Very good, Council.”
