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Duval County Public Schools, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and local members of the Florida Bar supplied students with “Legal Guides for New Adults” last week. The program was rolled out at Wolfson High during an assembly of “rising seniors.”
The guide provides important information to help students who are becoming adults in Florida understand their rights and responsibilities. Sheriff John Rutherford, Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals, and attorneys A. Russell Smith and Hank Coxe, both representing the Florida Bar (sponsor of the program) were in attendance to discuss the importance of responsible adulthood in Florida.
“Our students will be better prepared for adulthood with the information provided in these pamphlets,” said Pratt-Dannals. “Education on the laws in the state of Florida is a key component to student success.”
Rutherford emphasized the importance of raising a non-violent generation.
“We all know the importance of raising a generation of young men and women who do not resolve their differences through violence. We also need to make sure our teens understand their responsibilities, and the accountability, that comes with the rights and privileges of being an adult here in Florida,” said Rutherford. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Florida Bar’s Justice Teaching program and its local volunteers to help our young adults get this information.”
The Legal Guide for New Adults is a public service of the Florida Bar. It is made possible through a grant from the Florida Bar’s Foundation to the Florida Law Related Education Association. The Justice Teaching Volunteer program involves local attorneys who are members of the Florida Bar volunteering to provide this education to area students.