With senior year come many highly anticipated senior privileges. The most exclusive of these privileges being the government class court house field trip. Unlike most senior activities, the courthouse field trip will take place during school and off campus. Government classes will combine and meet at the Morena Linda Vista Trolley Station instead of at school. Students must meet at 7:30 and cannot drive them selves to the courthouse or to another trolley station..
Once the trolley arrives downt,own students will walk to the courthouse where they will meet Judge Fred Link in the presiding court.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said senior Katrina Reinschreiber,.“This is almost like a taste of what we have to do in the future, as in jury duty.”
Government teachers recommend that students bring only a pen or pencil, money for a trolley ticket and food, and cell phone if needed. Before entering the courthouse, students will go through a security checkpoint similar to that of an airport. Then from 10:00 to 11:45, students will be free to roam from room to room, sitting in on different court proceedings.
“[The main goal of the field trip] is to experience the criminal justice system first hand,” said government teacher Ms. Melissa Padgett.
Once in a court room students will be asked to remain inside until there is a break in the action of the trial. There will be everything from criminal to civil trials going on.
Many seniors were taken back by the dress code*, but given an incident that occurred during one of the trips where participants in a trial were actually distracted by one of the female student’s short skirt, the dress code stands. The dress code is also to make students look presentable in a professional setting.
The field trip is actually an optional senior event. A student who chooses not to go, is late, out of dress code, or arrives at the school by mistake, will go to class as usual and have a substitute and an alternate assignment for government class that day.
“It’s worth it,” said Ms. Padgett, “because when we study a subject in class, it can’t even compare to actually experiencing the material.”
Permission slips are due October 21st for first semester government students.
* Students are expected to show up in a dress code, although not in school uniform. Girls are required to wear dress pants, flats, and a white blouse; while boys are required to wear khaki dress pants, dress shoes, and a dress shirt and tie. The dress code will be upheld strictly and students who arrive at the trolley station out of dress code will be asked to go back to school and will have to miss the field trip.