Law in School

Most students graduate knowing the quadratic formula by heart, how to identify a metaphor, and even knowing what gender a window is in a different language. Yet, law goes unnoticed. Both Grade 11 & Grade 12 are electives, and these courses are commonly being referred to as easy and unchallenging compared to classes like math and science.

Arguably, understanding law entirely is more useful for the average person than many other subjects students are required to take. Every day, we are all surrounded by legal issues, especially teenagers, whether we realize it or not. From social media privacy to online scams and even workplace rights & contracts, the law affects students even before adulthood.

Many students get part-time jobs without understanding their rights as an employee. Other teenagers consent to terms and conditions online without even realizing they are entering into a legally-binding contract. Especially now, where digital footprints can impact future job opportunities, understanding basic law -- like defamation, privacy, and copyright -- has become a focal issue.

Social media has become one of the biggest issues recently. Legal cases, like cyberbullying, privacy violations, and defamation have continued to increase. Despite these ever-growing issues, many students never were taught how the law applies online.

Now, to play devil's advocate, schools already have a very loaded curriculum and that law should only be for students who are generally interested in law. While this is true technically, basic law does not refer to knowing every Supreme Court case by heart -- it is simply understanding contracts, responsibility, and online safety to benefit everyone.

We all know, that despite our eight exams every year, schools want to prepare us for the future. While not every student wants to become a lawyer, every student should know the basics of law for the future. Teaching basic law in schools can help influence more informed and responsible young adults, especially with housing and employment laws.

Alright, and now I'm done yapping, this article is kind of bittersweet. I have done 15 articles, this week bringing the total to 17. This is the last article I will do until next year. I have made so many friends in the co-curricular and this has been one of the most fun ones I've been, despite my twelve other cos I have done. Thank you Mr. Armstrong for being the most persistent teacher, Arjun for being a great editor-in-chief, and Owen for benching 90 (on a good day).