Law Review presents major symposium on Constitution

READ MORE
Here's some of the news coverage of the symposium:
1/19: Senator, governors address 1895 Constitution, Charleston Regional Business Journal
1/18: Role of education discussed at symposium, Charleston Post and Courier
1/16: Right to education at center of debate, Charleston Regional Business Journal
1/16: Leaders discuss changing Constitution, Associated Press
12/23: Schools plan two-day constitutional reform symposium, Charleston Post and Courier

Conference examines constitutional reform in the 21st century

JAN. 16, 2009 - Scores of academics, students and leaders explored whether the South Carolina constitution should be modernized during an exciting two-day symposium this month at the Charleston School of Law.

Presented by the school's Charleston Law Review and the Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics and Public Leadership at Furman University, the five-part symposium explored immigration issues, the role of the state's governor and whether the state constitution should guarantee more than a "minimally adequate" education.

"This symposium involving dozens of the state's key thinkers and leaders challenged and probed traditional ideas about the most important law in the state - our constitution," said Assistant Professor Will Cook, an advisor to the Review. "The symposium was important because it allowed us to delve into issues of whether documents like our 1895 constitution should be completely rewritten or should change more slowly through the amendment process."

Speakers and panelists included S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, State Superintendent Jim Rex, former U.S. Secretary of Education and Gov. Richard W. Riley, former Gov. Jim Hodges, as well as major political and judicial leaders from across the South.

Former S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges listens to Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, on a panel that probed whether the state's governor should have more power.

Four panels focused on South Carolina: public education as a legal right and constitutional barriers to it; judicial selection; whether the state should have a stronger governor; and the state constitution in the 21st Century. Another panel looked at challenges and opportunities for constitutional reform across the South.

"One of the cornerstones of the Charleston School of Law is for it to provide opportunities to shape public policy," said Charleston Law Review Editor Katie Fowler. "This conference was significant because it brought together many of the major players into the room at the same time to get the discussion going for the first time in a long time."

The spring issue of the Review will feature highlights from the symposium.

• More: www.CharlestonLawReview.org
  More information: Andy Brack, 843.670.3996