Teaching law and the legal system in schools?

[localzuk]

Do kids ever get taught things like:

 

The different courts and what they do,

How laws are created,

What powers police actually have,

What the difference between acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments is,

Who judges are, how they get into their jobs etc...,

What magistrates are and how people become magistrates,

etc...

 

Reason I ask is, I often read comments on news articles regarding trials where so many people have a complete lack of understanding of the law and the courts. Things like attacking judges for their judgements, even though they are entirely limited by the law and can only make that judgement based on the evidence.

 

If we don't teach these things, should we?

[FN-GM]

We do, its taught in Citizenship. I did it at school and got an A.

[localzuk]

I'm not sure that's compulsory is it though? And if it is, it is obviously not good enough as it isn't having an effect on people.

[tmcd35]

I often wondered the same thing. I also wondered what was ment by "citizenship" and never really put the two together. I've thought before that teaching Law, Politics, Enconomics and Philosophy as descrete subject might be more benefical but I suppose, at KS3/4 Citixenship probably does cover whats really needed. Alteast according to the National Curriculum: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-3-and-4

 

I'd like to see schools offer those subjects as decrete GCSE's though...

Edited March 7, 2014 by tmcd35

[FN-GM]

I'm not sure that's compulsory is it though?

 

 

To be honest I am not sure.

[tmcd35]

DoE's website list's it under "Statory Requirement". So I think it is compulsory. The bullet points seem to me to cover the basics. Maybe it's the quality of teaching?

[localzuk]

Academies, foundation schools and free schools aren't covered by the 'statutory requirement' curriculum.