21 Jun
Senator Becca Rausch: 2024 Partner for Justice & Champion for Civic Education in the Commonwealth
When Massachusetts state legislators were on the path to cutting the Commonwealth’s investment in civics education, Senator Becca Rausch arrived at the floor of the State Senate chambers to not only stop the cuts, but also to increase support by 25%.
The vote passed 39-0, with both Democrats and Republicans unanimously lining up behind her amendment.
Through her passion for civic engagement and her persistence, Senator Rausch has emerged as a leader on Beacon Hill to bring robust civic education to every student in Massachusetts.
For her tireless and dedicated work at the State House, we are proud to honor Senator Rausch with our Discovering Justice 2024 Partner for Justice Award.
We hope you’ll join us at Discovering Justice’s Annual Gala 2024: Partners for Justice on June 26th as we celebrate Senator Rausch and the partners that make our impactful work possible.
Discovering Justice is proud to be a part of the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition (MCLC), a coalition of more than 50 civic education groups in Massachusetts who work with school districts and teachers to help bring civics into the classroom. MCLC was formed in 2017 and led the campaign to pass the groundbreaking Civics Education Law that prioritized civic education for Massachusetts students.
Since the passage of the law, Discovering Justice and MCLC have worked with Senator Rausch and many other Massachusetts legislators to increase the Commonwealth’s investment in civic education by 67%.
During the Senate debate last month, Senator Rausch spoke passionately from the Senate floor:
“Civic education is both profoundly important and a necessary equalizer. It empowers young people from all backgrounds and all communities to make their voices heard as they advocate for the issues and values that matter most to them. Civics teaches the power of the grassroots and delivers the experience of influencing law and policy even before our students are old enough to vote, so when the time comes for them to start casting their ballots, they know how much it matters to exercise that right and engage in our democracy.”
Senator Rausch also appreciates the role Discovering Justice plays in the education of Massachusetts citizens:
“From Mock Trials, to Courthouse Tours, to [Civic Learning] Weeks, Discovering Justice brings students of all ages into the rooms where policy is made, democracy lives, and equity advances. It is truly transformational for a student to enter these spaces; the experience inspires students in the moment and empowers them to envision themselves there in the future. Discovering Justice demystifies the world of government, opening it up to one and all.”
Thanks and congratulations to Senator Becca Rausch for her work and dedication to civic education.
First elected in an iconic 2018 victory, Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch (D-Needham) represents the Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex District. She is the first woman and first Jewish person to serve several of the district’s communities in the Senate. Re-elected in 2020 and 2022, Senator Rausch is currently serving her third term and is the only mother of children under 10 years old in the Massachusetts Senate. The granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor and a published author on reproductive health and justice and body size and the law, Senator Rausch is a lifelong advocate for social justice, fairness, and equity for all.
Discovering Justice is grateful for Senator Rausch’s partnership as our champion for civics education in the Massachusetts legislature. We’re looking forward to presenting Senator Rausch’s award, as well as hearing from all our 2024 Partner for Awardees on the importance of doing work they believe in, at our Annual Gala on June 26th.
