California Constitutional Literacy Initiative (CCLI)

The California Constitutional Literacy Initiative (CCLI) aims to broaden Americans' understanding of the Constitution by bringing law students into high school classrooms and facilitating greater exchange between Hastings and secondary schools in the San Francisco Bay area.  It builds on the Marshall-Brennan Fellowship Program, named in honor of the late Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and William J. Brennan, Jr., that was founded at American University's Washington College of Law in the District of Columbia.  

This program gives talented law students an extraordinary opportunity: the chance to teach a high school course about the Constitution, citizenship, and education.  After working closely in a small-group setting with Professor Hillman, students take their knowledge and skills into local high schools to run their own classes.  Students enroll for three non-course credits.  After an initial training session in pedagogy and community service, students will be assigned to schools in teams of two, or in some cases as solo instructors, to teach a course that focuses on the Constitution and the rights of students.  Since the program began in 2009, UC Hastings students have taught hundreds of students at McClymonds High School and Mandela Academy in Oakland; Richmond High School; International Studies Academy, Lincoln High School, and Civic Center Secondary School in San Francisco; and Westmoor High School in Daly City.

We encourage all students with teaching backgrounds, an interest in constitutional law, and a desire to get more involved in their communities to pre-register for the course (Community Law Program, Law 860) and send a statement of interest to the course director, Professor Hillman, at hillmane@uchastings.edu. Interested students will be waitlisted until their applications are approved. Professor Hillman can also answer any questions related to the program.