Talking to Children about an Historic Supreme Court Decision

Posted by Debbie Gibbs on 6/26/15 5:07 PM

Today’s important Supreme Court decision ruling that same-sex couples have an equal right to marry is something that you may want to help your children explore further.

Tips for talking with your child:

1. Make sure your child has some background on the Supreme Court and its place in our government. The Congress for Kids website gives a brief explanation of the Supreme Court and also has a list of books about the Court and some of its justices if your child is interested in exploring further.

2. Read about today's decision yourself so you are primed to answer questions. The Supreme Court blog (SCOTUSblog) has two break-downs of today’s events that could be helpful in understanding the decision and dissenting opinions.

3. Explore why Supreme Court decisions can be so hard to make. Here is a resource to help frame this: "The Role of the Supreme Court" (Scholastic). 

4. Use the newspaper, internet, news reports on television or the radio, to explore together the decision and people’s various reactions to the decision. Help your child have a sense of the excitement of history in the making. These articles from the Washington Post and NPR will get you started.

Don't worry if you can't answer all of your child's questions! You can continue to seek out answers together online or at your local library.

Looking for a school for your child?

Lowell School is an independent school in the Colonial Village neighborhood of Washington, DC, that offers Pre-Primary, Primary, and Middle School programs. It offers a rigorous and hands-on curriculum that nurtures each child’s natural curiosity and desire to learn, and supports the development of individual voice and self-reliance. For more information, please call 202-577-2000, email admissions@lowellschool.org, or follow Lowell on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Topics: Parenting

Debbie Gibbs

Written by Debbie Gibbs

Debbie Gibbs is a former head of Lowell School. She earned her BA in theater arts from Pomona College, her BS in elementary education from the University of Minnesota, and her MA in educational technology from the University of San Francisco. Her career as a school administrator began when she became interim assistant director at The Blake Schools in Minneapolis, MN. She went on to become the head of upper school and assistant head for academic affairs at Marin Country Day School in California. She became Lowell's fourth head of school in 2007. She has served on the Board of the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) and the editorial board of Independent School Magazine, a publication of the National Association of Independent Schools.