The Youth Advocacy and Policy Lab (Y-Lab) invites you to a Y-Lab Writing Program Lunch Talk. Each participant will present their research and writing project, and attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions.
Tuesday, March 21
12:30-1:30 PM
WCC 3007
Lunch will be provided
Students with Disabilities and Massachusetts Vocational Schools
Discussion with Brian Dezurick, Harvard Law School J.D. Candidate
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
12:30 – 1:30 PM
WCC Room 3007
Harvard Law School
Paper Topic: Massachusetts vocational high schools are regarded as among the best in the nation. However, students with disabilities are disproportionately excluded from Massachusetts vocational schools. In addition, even when students with disabilities are admitted to Massachusetts vocational high schools, they may not be served as well as students without disabilities. This paper traces the history of vocational education in Massachusetts and discusses some potential legal challenges to the current vocational high school regime with respect to students with disabilities.
Biography: Brian is a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School (class of 2023) and a Youth Advocacy and Policy Lab Fellow. He has spent a significant portion of his law school career doing work in the Education Law Clinic but has also participated in the Housing Law Clinic and the Prison Legal Assistance Project. After law school, Brian will be joining the litigation department at Goulston & Storrs in Boston, Massachusetts.
Revitalizing the Democratic Vision of Public Education
Discussion with Alyssa Milstead, Harvard Law School J.D. Candidate
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
12:30 – 1:30 PM
WCC Room 3007
Harvard Law School
Paper Topic: In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of public education looks uncertain, as district enrollment numbers decline and families express unparalleled levels of discontent with their local public schools. In this paper, I propose that we may be able to address some of these challenges by examining our country’s early vision of public education, one that emphasized public education’s crucial role in a representative democracy. My paper argues that a revised democratic vision of public education could positively inform education policy and practices moving forward.
Biography: Alyssa is a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School (Class of 2023) and a Youth Advocacy and Policy Lab Fellow. Prior to attending law school, Alyssa taught high school English for three years in Stockton, California. At HLS, she worked extensively in the Education Law Clinic, in addition to serving on the executive boards of the Harvard Journal of Law & Gender and Advocates for Education. After law school, Alyssa will be working at WilmerHale’s Palo Alto office.
This lunch talk is part of our Preserving Public Education Speaker Series.