The Massachusetts Supreme Court Judicial court passed a judgment on Tuesday to create, “new constitutional sentencing scheme for juveniles convicted of homicide crimes”.  The decision “struck down a law that allows juveniles to be setnecned to life in prision with no possibility of parole for crimes committed before they turned 18” (Boston Globe, 12/27/2013, Valencia and Ellement).   Read more of the article here.

It reminds me of a song that’s been going through my head since Christmas: If it Were Left up to Me by Sly and the Family Stone.   

The main refrain of the song, “If it were left up to me, I would try” and the last lines “I promise from me to you, I will try” resonate with me as I spend the holidays thinking about the YMEJ grad seminar and my own shifting lines of thinking.  In fact, I’ve been drafting a blog post in my head entitled, Rethinking my thinking, or perhaps even rethinking my rethinking.  But that sounds rather grandiose.  I notice a lot more in the news/media about court involved youth.  Am I more aware of the conversation because of my work in the grad seminar?

These conversations have been taking place over a many years and contexts.  Still, when I read about the Boston SJC decision I feel hope.  Hope that the YMEJ grad seminar is not an isolated moment/space.  Hope that a system (such as the courts) is able to rethinking their thinking.  And I do promise to try.