Over the course of two decades as a public official, serving as Governor of Massachusetts, Cabinet Secretary, and Selectboard member from Swampscott; public education and civic education have been a cornerstone and priority of Charlie Baker’s work. In recognition of this work, Discovering Justice is proud to honor Governor Baker with its 2023 Champion of Justice Award.  

Working in a bi-partisan manner, on an issue that is truly non-partisan, Baker has consistently invested in and supported measures to prepare students to engage and steward our nation’s democracy.  

In 2018, Governor Baker signed S. 2631, An Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement, which prioritized civic education for public school students in Grades K-12. The passage of the law provided a platform for Discovering Justice to expand its existing partnerships and form relationships with new school systems and educators. The Commonwealth’s focus on civic education allows us to engage more students in our unique programs that examine the workings of the justice system, explore the ideals of justice, and prepare them to engage in our democracy.  Civic education helps students in Grades K-12 analyze complex issues, consider different perspectives. argue with supportive evidence, engage in civil discourse and engagement, and understand the workings of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  The Civics Law also created the Civics Project Trust Fund, which provides resources for state education officials to develop curriculum and professional development for teachers across the Commonwealth. The Fund has also distributed more than $2,000,000 in grants directly to local school systems to assist communities with implementing their civic education curriculum.