Book Opener

Legal ColumnistWhen the topic is the First Amendment, lawyers, judges,and legal scholars around the country read and heed theopinions of Charles Levendosky. Levendosky’s newspapercolumns have been published in the Los Angeles Times, theAtlanta Journal-Constitution, the Baltimore Sun, and theInternational Herald-Tribune.In fact, Levendosky has little formal training or education relating to the law.Levendosky majored in physics, math, and secondary education and haspublished almost a dozen books of poetry. He studies the First Amendmentbecause it protects the rights of writers and artists to express their opinions.“Writers shine a little light on the human condition,” says Levendosky, whohas served as Wyoming’s poet-in-residence for over a decade. He becameinterested in free speech issues after two families attempted to censor books inWyoming schools.Levendosky began educating himself by studying every First Amendmentdecision written by the Supreme Court, reading books by First Amendment scholars,and talking with experts. In 1994, the Casper Star-Tribune asked him to write acyber column about First Amendment issues. Once a year, the newspaper, whichwas one of the earliest to expand to the Internet, sends Levendosky to Washington,D.C. to hear oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Seeing the SupremeCourt in action has given Charles Levendosky added perspective on FirstAmendment issues.“I see my role as helping people find answers about their First Amendmentrights, or putting them in touch with the experts who can,” he says from his homeoffice in Casper.SkillsPersonalityEducationAnalytical, communication, computer, willingness to listen tosources you disagree withMust have a passion for what you do; a self-starter, neversatisfied with “just okay”“High school students should start educating themselves byunderstanding the Supreme Court decisions about children’sFirst Amendment rights and how those decisions affect them.It’s important for students to know that even though theirrights are not the same as those of adults, young peoplehave fought for their own rights and changed the law.”For more information on legal columnists, visit ubpl.glencoe.com, or yourpublic library.782 Unit 7: Planning for the Future