Civics 102: Know Your Rights

By Rege Behe
The Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) is providing an opportunity for those who ascribe to Thomas Jefferson's theory that "An informed citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of the republic."
On March 19 and 26, 2015, the library will offer Civics 102: What are the Government's Responsibilities to Its Citizens? in conjunction with the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.
"The library's mission is to engage our community in literacy and learning, and there are many types of literacy," says librarian Aisha Goodman. "Knowing about your government, its responsibilities to you, and your responsibilities to it is civic literacy, and the library can play an important role is making sure citizens are informed and able to be a part of their community."
Civics 102 follows the Civics 101 series offered in 2014 that was popular among Squirrel Hill library patrons. The first series was broad-based, but Civics 102 focuses on specific amendments and topics.
"We've been very lucky to be able to work with the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pennsylvania ACLU, and they've brought in outstanding speakers that have engaged the audience," Goodman says.
On March 19, the topic will be the Sixth Amendment. Discussions will focus on why the right to counsel is included in this amendment, the history of providing defense to the indigent, and how Pennsylvania meets this requirement. The presenter will be Ubong Akpan, a staff attorney with the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
On March 26, the discussion will consider whether or not the right to privacy is in the Constitution. Topics will include the origin of the concept of privacy and how it is enforced. The presenter is TBA.
All classes start at 6:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Each participant will receive a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution.
The Squirrel Hill branch of the CLP is located at 5801 Forbes Avenue.
To sign up for a Civics 102 class, or for additional information, call 412-681-7736, or email pghinfo@aclupa.org.