Tsion Daniel

Zoe Edwards (left), Mock Trial president and senior,coverses with Natsume Wu (right). Mcok Trial member and junio, as she answers her questions about trial procedures. Edwards said a large amountof Mock Trial members are feame which may be a result of Justice Ginsburgs profound impact on young women.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at age 87 on Sept.18 2020 due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer, leaving a significant legacy. 

Kate Smith,  member of the Civics Club and sophomore, said she was extremely saddened by the news. Smith said she was inspired by Ginsburg’s career and wants to go in the legal or political field for a job. 

“The first thing I thought was, this is awful. I’m really sad about this. But the second thing I thought, which no one should actually think when someone like this dies was, I was worried (about) what’s going to happen to the court.” 

Senior Ashley Elmore said she was also saddened by the news of Ginsburg’s death. Elmore said she cried when she heard about it, as did a lot of friends and friends’ moms. 

“I was heartbroken and obviously shattered,” Elmore said. “This woman was one of the people on Capitol Hill that really had minorities in her heart, and actively (thought) about them, so it’s almost like you have a shield ripped off of you.”

Elmore said she adored Ginsburg, and that she was a rule-breaker who was ahead of her time. She said the fact that Ginsburg fought for abortion rights, womens’ rights and LGBTQ rights among other also inspired her to use her voice to have a say in how the country is run. 

“She protected a lot of people that need to be protected, but she was also the only person protecting them,” Elmore said. 

Some of Ginsburg’s most important achievements, according to an article by CNN titled “How Ginsburg made the law fairer for every woman”, include contributing to the end of all-male public universities, helping establish the law that was passed in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade and fighting for mens’ rights to Social Security and helping establish LGBTQ rights.

According to Robert Browning, social studies and business teacher with 30 years of legal experience, Ginsburg had one of the best legal minds. 

He said, “(Ginsburg’s) career has had a tremendous impact on young girls in particular, because they see someone who (had a) great legal mind get to the top, the pinnacle of the profession of being a judge, handled herself well in every respect, was highly respected and captured the attention of the media, and (was) just a fascinating woman. So accomplished. So, I think when young girls see a woman reach that status, they can think, ‘Oh I can do that.’ It’s good to see role models, and there just haven’t been that many women Supreme Court justices.”

Browning also talked about Ginsberg’s dissenting opinions, and how they were elegant yet expressed her point about what was right and what was not. He said Ginsburg balanced out the Supreme Court in terms of political parties and was one who always considered the Constitution as a living, breathing document. 

Since the news of Ginsburg’s death spread, many students at this school have honored her in their own unique ways. Zoe Edwards, president of the Mock Trial Club and senior said many female students were honoring her legacy by choosing to go into the legal field, and she spoke about how the Mock Trial Club consisted mostly of women, something that could be attributed to Ginsburg’s influence. 

Elmore and Smith both spoke about registering to vote and voting as ways of keeping Ginsburg’s memory alive and honoring her. They said it was important for one to use their voice, and to stand up for what was right, as what they believed Ginsburg would have done. Elmore also said people needed to know who Ginsburg was and that she should be taught about in history classes.

Smith said fighting for the rights Ginsburg helped to establish and protect and helping people would also be something she would have wanted and something that would keep her memory and legacy alive. 

Smith said, “I don’t feel great (women have got certain rights only within the past 20 to 30 years). I think it’s a reminder that I might feel comfortable in the rights I have now, but there’s people who are in the situation women were 20 years ago; as a group, people are still fighting for justice and people still need justice, and as someone who has had things handed to me by women like RBG, I need to be an advocate for others and be a part of that fight for justice as much as I can be. I know because of (Ginsburg) I can do great things.”