Canada's First Law-and-Justice-Themed High School Program Launched

The University of Toronto, Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) launched Canada's first law-and-justice-themed high school program on April 28, to be implemented this fall in two downtown high schools - Central Technical School and Harbord Collegiate Institute. 

Approximately 1,000 students, teachers, principals, and members of the law school community celebrated the launch of the "LAWS" program (Law in Action Within Schools) at Central Tech.

The LAWS program is expected to increase high school completion rates among students and encourage them to go on to college or university. Many of the high school students participating in the LAWS program are from diverse backgrounds and opportunities, and will be the first in their families to have an opportunity to consider a higher education.

"Our goal is to use the law to engage high school students, to help develop their reasoning and literacy skills and, most important, to transform their sense of what is possible for their futures", says U of T Law Dean, Ron Daniels.  Dean Daniels initiated the LAWS project.

• Read the Press Release (April 28, 2005) (Word Document)

The event was covered in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Law Times, The Lawyers Weekly, Ming Pao Daily News, The Annex Guardian and the Annex Gleaner, as well as CBC Radio's Here and Now.

• Read more in the University of Toronto Bulletin: Legal ease: Law program promotes higher education in high schools

Prof. Frank Iacobucci, Dean Ron Daniels and alumnus Cornell Wright at the launch of the LAWS program at Central Technical School