Civics Club

The Civics Club—Continuing the Pursuit of Education

Because of the overwhelming success of CEP, we quickly learned from the inmates about their ardent desire to continue their education.  In 2017, about 40 inmates approached us with the idea to form their own Civics Club.  They formally drafted by-laws to govern this newfound association and still hold recurring meetings to this day.  The only requirements to join the Civics Club:  an inmate must have completed & passed all four courses (civics, ethics, literature, economics) of CEP and continue maintaining a clean disciplinary record.

 

This innovative enterprise combines academics and community engagement to help further our inmate students’ educational formation.  To that end, we have brought in professional speakers who offered insight on topics related to our curriculum and have hosted seminars and debates with college students.  Bridging our local community here in South Florida along with the community of the incarcerated is an important step in bringing awareness to the 95% of inmates who will return to society as we reinforce core civic values to all who are involved.

 

Civics Club events offered include:

 

Book discussions

  • One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

  • Plagues of the Mind by Bruce Thornton

Guest Speakers

  • Fred Fransen, CEO & Founder, Sensible School™.

Topic: Economic Principles for Life

  • Bob Rubin, President & Founder, Rubin Wealth Advisors

Topic: The Value of Entrepreneurship

  • Scott Powell, Senior Fellow, The Discovery Institute

Topic: Education as an Intellectual Virtue

Civics Club/FAU Political Science Students’ Engagements

  • South Bay Civics Club Forum on American Politics: Myths & Misconceptions.  Presentations by Inmates to 20 Students from Florida Atlantic University.  Topics included:

The Importance of the Constitution

Prison Reform

Economic Drivers of Prisons

Private vs. State Prisons

Government Control: People or Corporations?

Property Rights 

  • FAU Law & American Society Class & South Bay Civics Club Debate

Topic: Jury Nullification