Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Andrea S

Social Studies and the Young Learner 31 (3) pp. 29–32 ©2019 National Council for the Social Studies Book Review A Different Kind of Superhero: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Andrea S. Libresco Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R. B. G. vs. Inequality by and well-written. The use of a variety of phrases in I Dissent Jonah Winter; illustrated by Stacy Innerst (New York: Abrams used to describe Ginsburg’s disagreement with societal norms Books for Young Readers, 2018) (48 pp.) (e.g., “dissent,” “did not concur,” “disagreed”) shows students both the power of dissent to make change and the power of I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie diverse language to tell an engaging story. As its title suggests, Levy; illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley (New York: Simon & The Case of R. B. G vs. Inequality presents a narrative as would Schuster/S&S Books for Young Readers, 2017) (40 pp.) a lawyer arguing a case in court, which is a winning format that provides students with a creative model of narrative nonfiction. The last few decades have seen the publication of many It is also worth mentioning that The Case of R. B. G. vs. biographies of brave girls and women. There are books about Inequality was named a New York Times/New York Public girls going to jail for civil rights; and young women striking for Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2017. The beauti- better wages and working conditions, flying planes solo across ful inside cover illustrations reinforce the importance of the the ocean, working as investigative journalists, casting illegal quiet, steady work of the acquisition of knowledge: hundreds votes, initiating hunger strikes in jail, writing about lynching of books line a wall of shelves and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on a at great personal cost, and many others.1 Read cumulatively, ladder, in her judicial robe and collar, reaches for one of them; these biographies might suggest that most women who make on the title page, she is a young girl, reading a book. a difference must engage in some sort of extra-legal action or brave some sort of physical danger. It is rather unusual, then, The Personal and Professional are Political to read about a woman who has had, and, at age 85 continues From its opening line, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury…,” to have, a profound impact on American society, not with one R. B. G. cleverly builds a case about the future justice’s lifelong or two memorable acts, but through hard work and use of her fight against inequality. Presented, first, is evidence of inequality intellect, day after day, and night after night—sometimes staying about the world into which Ginsburg was born, and not only up until 4:00 am to finish her reading and writing. Thus, the evidence about women’s inequality (a father who felt that “a two accounts of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, published in the last woman’s place was in the home”), but discrimination against two years and named as Notable Social Studies Trade Books Jews, as well. To escape religious persecution, Ginsburg’s par- for Young Readers, are welcome additions to biography shelves ents fled Europe in the 1930s, and their daughter experienced in school classrooms and libraries. discrimination firsthand when she saw a sign outside a resort in Both books reviewed here, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case Pennsylvania, warning, “No Dogs or Jews allowed.” The author of R. B. G. vs. Inequality and I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg underscores that persecution was not confined to Europe: “This Makes Her Mark, are inspirational. They tell a story that happened right here in America.” is both typical and exceptional–the striving of the children Ginsburg’s mother, whose own educational aspirations had of immigrants and their conviction that the law could be an been thwarted, as she had to work so that her brother could instrument of societal change. While they cover some of the attend college, became the driving force behind her daugh- same ground—both books highlight the influence of Ginsburg’s ter’s educational achievement. Sadly, neither Ginsburg nor mother and her emphasis on books, the library, and educa- her mother attended her high school graduation, where she tion—the two biographies emphasize different aspects of and was sixth in a class of 700, as her mother died that day, at the details about Ginsburg’s family and professional life. The read- end of a four-year bout with cancer. One could well imagine ing level of The Case of R. B. G. vs. Inequality is more appro- Ginsburg’s educational journey ending at that point, without priate for upper elementary students, while I Dissent can be her encourager-in-chief. However, the author narrates, “There handled by primary students, as well. Both works are engaging was only one thing for Ruth to do.” She heads for Cornell, January/February 2019 29 where her mother’s brother had gone–and where her own Even having a husband in her corner, the barriers to a woman mother would have gone, had she been encouraged as a young pursuing a career in law were formidable; The Case of R. B. G. woman. This theme is picked up again later in the book, when vs. Inequality uses “exhibits” to make this point in the text and Ginsburg honors her mother as she accepts her appointment accompanying illustrations: to the Supreme Court: “I pray that I may be all that she would have been had she lived in an age when women could aspire A. At her first job after college, Ginsburg’s boss demoted her and achieve, and daughters are cherished as much as sons.” and slashed her wages when he found out she was pregnant. Cornell University in 1950 had a 4:1 ratio of men to women students (today it is about 1:1). The author is forthright about B. She was one of nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard the paradox for women at Cornell: they had to be very smart Law School, which did not provide housing for female to get in, yet pretend not to be smart to get a date; a pointed students. (I was reminded of the House of Representatives’ illustration depicts Ginsburg hiding out in the bathroom to failure to provide bathrooms for women near the floor until study, one of many visuals that complement the text artfully. 2011.)3 This paradox notwithstanding, “She was always listening, always thinking, always learning.” (As both college professor C. She was barred from entering the periodical room of the and parent, I cannot think of a better approach to college or a Harvard law library because she was a woman. better message for elementary students.) At Cornell, she also met her future husband, Martin D. In most of her law classes, there was only one woman, who Ginsburg, from whom she did not have to hide her intellect, would be called on as a joke–notwithstanding that the as he was the first man who “liked that she had a brain.” That women were hyper-prepared and almost always answered this is the second-to-last mention of Marty Ginsburg is a shame. correctly. One could argue, as Ginsburg, herself, has, that Marty’s ahead- of-his-time attitude toward women, including his commitment E. Famously, the Dean at Harvard asked each female student to domestic egalitarianism (most notably, as the cook in the why she thought she deserved a spot in the school that family), positioned her to have a wildly successful career in could have gone to a man. Ginsburg’s answer, “To better law, even as she was a wife and mother. Half a century later, understand the work of my husband.” This reply turned Sheryl Sandberg admitted that Ruth Bader’s excellent choice out to be ironic because, without Ginsburg’s help, her of spouse was the most important factor that made it possible husband wouldn’t have graduated, as he became gravely ill for her to “lean in.”2 and was unable to attend classes. She went in his stead, took 30 Social Studies and the Young Learner notes for him, cared for him, took care of their newborn, up, because she refused to let other people define her limita- went to her own classes, and was an editor of Harvard tions as a person, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has herself become a Law Review. (Just reading that last sentence is exhausting!) symbol of justice in America.” Happily, her husband recovered, graduated, and got a job The extensive Glossary and Author’s Note fill in more of the in New York, so Ginsburg transferred to Columbia, where context, including that Ginsburg was one of a record-breaking she graduated, tied for first in her class. 40 female appointments to the federal bench made by President Jimmy Carter. When he took office in 1977, only one of the 97 F. After she graduated, no law firms would hire her–she federal judges was a woman. The end material also mentions had the “triple whammy” of being a woman, a Jew, and the names of cases that produced Ginsburg’s strongest dis- a mother–so Ginsburg secured jobs as a law clerk and, sents and provides details of her dissenting opinion in Citizens then, a law professor. (My own mother graduated from United vs. Federal Elections Commission. The Author’s Note Columbia Law School in 1948, one of three women in her concludes with the Justice’s response, when questioned as to class, and she, too, could not get hired by any firm other how many women on the Supreme Court would be enough: than her father’s.) “When there are nine.” G.

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