CFCC News - 2010
- August 17, 2010, University of Baltimore Business School - CFCC provided a training workshop to representatives of the Baltimore City Public Schools selected for the Truancy Court Program for the 2010-2011 school year.
- In the July 30, 2010, edition of the Baltimore Sun, CFCC Director Barbara Babb and Senior Fellow Gloria Danziger wrote a letter to the editor as a response to an op-ed piece, “The importance of showing up” (July 29, 2010). CFCC's commentary, “Addressing truancy is a complex challenge,” emphasizes the importance of implementing a continuum of interventions to address truancy. CFCC's Truancy Court Program shows that taking the time to learn the reasons why students are truant and actively addressing those reasons can result in improved student attendance.
- July 14, 2010 - the Baltimore Sun ran an op-ed co-authored by Professor Barbara Babb and ABA Section of Family Law Chair Mitchell Karpf. The piece, “A more humane vision of family law,” has since been reprinted widely. The article was the direct result of discussions at the Families Matter Symposium.
- June 25-26, 2010, University of Baltimore School of Law - CFCC co-sponsored with the American Bar Association Section of Family Law the “Families Matter Symposium.” The invitation-only meeting convened an interdisciplinary group of experts in the fields of psychology, law, accounting, and mediation to brainstorm about reducing the harmful effects of the legal process in family law cases. The symposium launched a three-year undertaking to address devastating consequences of family law matters and the family law process on families, children, extended family, businesses and the community. Also, see the podcasts featuring the opening and closing remarks, which include keynote speakers, Maryland's Chief Judge Robert M. Bell and Georgia's former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears (retired).
- June 23, 2010 - The Daily Record previewed the ABA/CFCC Families Matter Symposium in a sweeping article about the destructive impact of many family court proceedings. Professor Barbara Babb was featured prominently.
- June 8, 2010, Annapolis, Maryland - The Hon. Catherine Curran O'Malley, First Lady of Maryland and Associate Judge of the District Court for Baltimore City, hosted a reception for 2009-2010 Truancy Court Program graduates and their families. Judge O'Malley has served as a volunteer TCP judge for the past five years. The children were presented with certificates of achievement in a ceremony at the Department of Legislative Services auditorium. See photos of the ceremony!
- June, 2010, Baltimore, Maryland - The generosity of the Red Door Spa continues. Successful Truancy Court Program graduates were invited to write an essay nominating a special adult for a day of pampering on the house. The winner, Barclay Elementary-Middle student Diamond Barber, was announced in Annapolis by First Lady Catherine Curran O'Malley on June 8. The winner nominated a volunteer at Barclay, Mrs. Brown, who had a deep impact on her academic and personal growth.
- June 3, 2010, Denver, Colorado - CFCC presented “Unified Family Courts: Are They Doing What We Expect of Them?” at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Conference. In a lively session punctuated by many questions from the group of about fifty international lawyers, judges, and psychological experts, panelists Professor Barbara Babb and Senior Fellows Gloria Danziger and Sharon Rubinstein suggested different approaches to the challenges Unified Family Courts face in assessing their own effectiveness and highlighted best practices already implemented.
- May 5, 2010, Baltimore, Maryland - CFCC gave a workshop during the Association of American Law Schools Conference on Clinical Legal Education on the development and implementation of the CFCC Student Fellows Program (SFP) curriculum. The workshop explored in detail both the pedagogy and the experience of CFCC Student Fellows in this non-traditional justice setting.
- April 28, 2010, Montgomery County Council Building, Rockville, Maryland - CFCC held a Truancy Court Program (TCP) Stakeholders' Meeting in Montgomery County. Participants included judges, masters, county council members and other high profile representatives in Montgomery County. CFCC faculty and staff provided information about the TCP and invited participants to partner with CFCC to address the needs of truant students and their families.
- CFCC operated the Truancy Court Program (TCP) in two Montgomery County, Maryland, middle schools in 2009-2010. Funded by the federal FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, the Spring 2010 TCP also operated in eight Baltimore City and two Anne Arundel County public schools. In addition to the federal earmark, the TCP receives support from the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts, the Charles Crane Family Foundation, the Wright Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Direct Services Grant Program.
- May, 2010 - We celebrated the success of Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, and Montgomery County public school students who graduated from the Truancy Court Program!
- April - May, 2010 - In every Truancy Court Program semester, the 10 weeks are punctuated by a Family Fun Night at each participating school. Food, friends, family, fun - and some healthy competition at board games and other contests - are the fare.
- April 13, 2010, University of Baltimore School of Law Moot Courtroom – The University of Baltimore School of Law Family Law Association hosted a CFCC presentation on the Truancy Court Program. Panelists provided an overview of the program and role-played a scenario based on actual cases.
- On April 1, 2010, an overflow crowd of over two hundred attended CFCC's second Urban Child Symposium, “Health and the Urban Child: Diagnosing Problems and Prescribing Solutions.” Congressman Elijah Cummings' keynote luncheon speech was a call to action, encouraging all of us to increase our expectations and work to ensure that all children have what we want for our own children. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, formerly Baltimore City's Health Commissioner and now First Principal Deputy at the FDA, set the stage with facts and figures about unmet health needs in the city, as well as promising practices to alleviate them. A full roster of experts spanned nutrition, obesity, child abuse, domestic violence, mental health, sexually transmitted diseases, and autism. Podcasts for the morning and afternoon sessions have been posted on CFCC's Urban Child Symposium page .
- March 24, 2010 - The Washington Post, WTOP radio, and Gazette.Net published news stories about CFCC's Montgomery County TCP and its partnership with the Montgomery County Public Schools, the Montgomery County State's Attorney, the Montgomery County Council, District Court Judge James Sarsfield, and Circuit Court Master Joan Ryon. CFCC Senior Fellow Gloria Danziger was quoted in The Washington Post about the progress already shown by Montgomery County middle school students participating in the program.
- On March 3, 2010, CFCC submitted written testimony to Senator Brian Frosh, chair of the Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings, for Senate Bill 689 , which specifies that certain actions are not included as reasonable corporal punishment on a child in the domestic provisions of Maryland's Family Law. In a formal letter to Senator Frosh and the Committee members, Professor Barbara Babb and Senior Fellows Gloria Danziger and Sharon Rubinstein supported practices and procedures that positively impact children and their families, while denouncing various types of acts that physically and emotionally harm children.
- March 3, 2010 - The Washington Examiner published an article about truancy in Montgomery County, Maryland. The county is participating in CFCC's Truancy Court Program. CFCC's director, Professor Barbara A. Babb, is quoted on the importance of re-engaging children with school.
- On February 24, 2010, CFCC submitted written testimony to Senator Joan Carter Conway, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Health and Environmental Affairs, on Senate Bill 239 which stipulates that the age required for public school attendance in Maryland should change from 16 to 18 years old, subject to certain exceptions. On March 3, CFCC also submitted written testimony to Delegate Sheila Hixson, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means on the crossfile House Bill 723 . In formal letters to Senator Conway, Delegate Hixson and their respective Committee members, Professor Barbara Babb and Senior Fellows Gloria Danziger and Sharon Rubinstein provided support for the bill based on their experiences in education with CFCC's Baltimore City Truancy Court Program, relevant reports, and statistical information.
- February 24, 2010 - The Daily Record published an article about the Maryland Attorney General's opinion that valid out-of-state marriage should be recognized in Maryland. CFCC's director, Professor Barbara A. Babb, is quoted as stating that the opinion clarifies the rights of same-sex partners and their children.
- February 22, 2010 - CFCC's director, Professor Barbara A. Babb, was interviewed on WYPR's Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast about recently proposed Maryland legislation, the Safe Schools Act of 2010, that would allow police to inform principals or other officials of student involvement in certain offenses.
- February 17, 2010 - The Baltimore Sun published an article about the Safe Schools Act of 2010. CFCC's director, Professor Barbara A. Babb, is quoted in support of the legislation as a way to address gang membership and bullying, but emphasized that the goal should be rehabilitation rather than punishment.
- January 24, 2010 - Judge Katie O'Malley focused on her satisfying and multi-year involvement with CFCC's Truancy Court Program during the first segment of her interview on WBAL-TV on the Sunday Morning Show. She explained the program's therapeutic thrust; its early intervention focus; the use of incentives; and the involvement of District and Circuit Court judges, University of Baltimore law students and faculty, and public school teachers and administrators.