Faculty member pens book on gay law and politics

By Janee Mitchell - Feature Writer

Dr. Jason Pierceson, assistant professor of political studies and legal studies, has just published his first publication, “Courts, Liberalism, and Rights: Gay Law and Politics in the United States and Canada .” Pierceson wrote about the same issue in graduate school while working on a doctoral degree and he said the paper inspired him to create the book. Pierceson also said, “It is intended to contribute to the scholarly literature in the field of public law, but I also hope that it will be useful for LBGT legal and political activists.”

In conducting research for the book, Pierceson said he examined legislative debates and new accounts and conducted an “extensive examination of gay rights litigation, including decisions, briefs, etc. I also examined political reaction to the decisions.”

Pierceson said in his discipline examining gay law and politics in this manner is marginalized. However, Pierceson said this marginalization only encouraged him to move forward with the book.

Pierceson said it was hard to find a stopping point for the book because of the evolution of things and wrote several drafts before developing the final draft that became the book. The central theme of the book is that “courts can, and should, play a role in achieving political change by giving status and legitimacy to politically unpopular, but legally and constitutionally valid, claims.”

Pierceson said LBGT issues, along with the social policy and courts, is his primary research interest. Pierceson said with his book he hopes “to broaden the understanding of the role that courts play in achieving social and political change. With the comparison with Canada , I hope to point out that the path to equality for same-sex couples and for the LBGT community generally is not as difficult in other countries as it appears to be in the U.S. ”

Pierceson has not indicated whether or not there will be any future publications on his part, however there is an expressed confidence in the current publication. Pierceson said he has already begun teaching from the book in two courses, Law and Inequality and a graduate seminar on law and politics.

UIS students can help younger children

By Laura Camper - General Assignment Reporter

Family life is busy, busy, busy. Some parents, though, are so busy working multiple jobs or responsibilities they feel they can't give adequate time or attention to their children. Children in this situation can suffer with low self-esteem and have problems in school. In Springfield and Christian County , parents have a place to turn for help – Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

According to Amanda Eichholz of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the purpose of the program is to match children with “positive, adult role models who spend time with them in a one-on-one mentoring situation.” The goal of the program is to serve 1,000 children by 2008. They served about 350 children last year.

Eichholz says, “A 1995 study said that children in Big Brothers Big Sisters are less likely to skip school and to use violence to solve problems.” She says academic performance generally improves and kids learn to make better decisions because they see other options for themselves.

The program offers two types of volunteer opportunities. A site-based program has volunteers visit the children at school during their lunch hour. The volunteer and the child can have lunch together, play a game, work on homework or just talk. It's up to them.

The second option is for the volunteer to meet with the children outside of school. This program offers a little more freedom in the choice of activities because the pair is not limited to the school grounds.

Roosevelt Smith, a UIS graduate student, has been volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters for 14 months. “I used to be a Little League coach, but that ended when I left to go to college,” Smith says of his reasons for volunteering. “I just wanted to continue with kids.”

He takes his little brother, Trey, bowling or to play basketball. Sometimes he helps him with his schoolwork. “I'm a little bit busy,” Smith says. “I call him after work and see if he's too busy. We meet about three times a week.”

And it has made a difference. Trey's mother called Smith to thank him, excited because Trey, who used to earn F's on his report card, is now on the honor roll at school.

Smith says he likes volunteering and plans to continue as long as he can. “I can't make a difference in the whole world, but I can make a difference in one person. That's the only thing that matters.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is in need of volunteers. The Web site says 96 boys and 28 girls are waiting to be matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister. If you can help, visit www.bbbsofsangamonco.com or e-mail aeichholz@bbbsofsangamonco.com or call (217) 753-1216.

Faculty member pens book on gay laws and politics

UIS students can help younger children