Pictured above: Al Faustino ’79 celebrates Constitution Day with participants in a Civics Break course in his Frisco, Texas, community. (Photo courtesy of Al Faustino)
Using Civics Break, the Bolch Judicial Institute’s civic education program, Al Faustino ’79 is helping neighbors better understand how courts — and judges — work.
When Duke Law grad Al Faustino ’79 came across information about Civics Break, a nonpartisan, civic education initiative from the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School, he immediately saw an opportunity.
Faustino lives in a 55+ community in Frisco, Texas, where residents regularly lead classes through a lifelong learning program, whose offerings range from cooking and dance to history and current events. With courts and judges frequently in the headlines, he thought his neighbors might welcome a deeper look at how the judicial system works.
“Judges are very much in the news these days, how they’re being threatened, and the challenges of being a judge.”
Faustino proposed a short course using the three-session Civics Break curriculum, which examines the rule of law, how courts fit into the U.S. democratic system, what judges do, and how courts and judges affect our lives.
To encourage discussion, course participation was capped at 12 participants.
“Judges are very much in the news these days, how they’re being threatened, and the challenges of being a judge,” Faustino said. “I thought there might be some interest in that.”
He was right. Registration filled within 20 minutes.
Faustino explained that his neighbors brought a wide range of experiences to the Civics Break classroom. Some had served on juries; others were former executives, teachers, or paralegals. While many were generally familiar with the courts, Faustino found that the program helped illuminate the realities of judicial decision-making.
One exercise in particular sparked especially lively discussion. In one Civics Break scenario, participants were asked to recommend a sentence for a young lawyer involved in a criminal scheme. At first hesitant, the group soon offered a wide range of sentencing recommendations — and were shocked when they learned the actual sentence imposed in the case.
“That exercise really showed how difficult judging can be,” Faustino said.
As the Civics Break materials encourage, Faustino slightly adapted the program for his audience by adding a session devoted to the Texas judicial system and comparing it with the federal courts. The ensuing conversation about elected versus appointed judges, he said, proved particularly engaging.
A Vietnam veteran, Faustino spent more than two decades as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate General officer before continuing his public service career as a federal attorney for an additional 22 years. For him, teaching the course was both personally rewarding and part of a broader civic responsibility.
“A knowledgeable and well-informed citizenry is essential to preserving our democratic republic.”
“A knowledgeable and well-informed citizenry is essential to preserving our democratic republic,” he said. “With Civics Break, the Bolch Judicial Institute couldn’t have made it easier to share important civics information with people in your community.”
Faustino’s course quickly became one of the most popular offerings in his community’s learning program. This spring, he is teaching two additional Civics Break sections, each with about 10 participants, after residents expressed strong interest in continuing the discussions.
Civics Break is available for use at home, in community groups, or in the workplace. You can view the videos on your own, watch and discuss them with your church or community group, or share them with your colleagues over a lunch break.
“The conversations have been lively,” Faustino said. “People really want to understand how the courts work.”
And his advice to anyone considering delivering the Civics Break program to a group?
“Just jump in! People are very forgiving and appreciate the effort — and overall, they just appreciate the opportunity to learn about their country and how the judiciary works.”
Learn more about how you can bring Civics Break to your group.