How Fathers Can Arm Their Kids with Legal Street Smarts: Lessons from the Santa Monica Pier

Local dads stood shoulder to shoulder with their teenagers on the Santa Monica Pier last Thursday evening, notebooks in hand, listening as civil rights attorney DeWitt M. Lacy delivered what could be the most practical parenting lesson of the year. Not a talk about study habits or screen time – but how to survive a police encounter, what to do if immigration enforcement shows up at school, and when your constitutional rights actually matter.

Federal raids have swept Los Angeles recently, with mass detentions during protests leaving families across the city grappling with a stark reality: their children need legal self-defence skills as much as they need maths and English.

Why Legal Knowledge Has Become Essential Survival Training

According to UCLA research from 2023, 61% of surveyed students reported their academic performance suffered due to fears about family safety and immigration status. Many immigrant families lack basic knowledge about legal protections, including the landmark Plyler v. Doe decision that guarantees education regardless of immigration status.

‘People have the right to speak out, to gather, and to grieve – but those rights must be exercised with knowledge and care,’ Lacy told the gathering. ‘Education is the first step in protecting yourself and your community.’

The week before his Santa Monica event, peaceful protests erupted across LA whilst undocumented workers and immigrant families faced detentions – many without prior criminal records. Community leaders reported increased fear, especially among families with school-aged children who didn’t know their rights or legal protections.

What Practical Legal Self-Defence Actually Looks Like

Lacy’s approach focuses on scenarios young people actually face: how to exercise free speech rights at demonstrations, what to do when ICE appears at school, work or home, and how to interact safely with police during traffic stops or protests.

The attorney, who has built a national reputation in high-profile civil rights cases – including recently representing the family of Ryan Gainer, a 15-year-old autistic boy fatally shot by police in California – knows that legal knowledge means nothing if young people can’t apply it under pressure.

Through his nonprofit Good and Common, Lacy offers free public workshops and short-form legal videos designed to teach everyday citizens how to protect themselves during encounters with law enforcement. The organisation joins groups like the Youth Civil Rights Academy and LawforKids in making constitutional knowledge accessible to young people.

Real-World Applications That Matter

This education shows up in countless real situations. ACLU research documents how young people trained in their rights have successfully navigated police encounters during protests, using knowledge of their right to remain silent, to ask if they’re free to leave, and to request legal counsel – helping reduce wrongful charges and police intimidation.

During 2020’s racial justice protests, youth educated on their rights avoided escalation, unlawful searches and used legal recording techniques as defence against wrongful arrests. These aren’t abstract constitutional principles – they’re practical tools that can mean the difference between a safe encounter and a life-changing legal problem.

Tools for Fathers and Mentors: Building Legal Confidence

Lacy’s approach gives fathers and mentors concrete ways to prepare their children. His upcoming university-based civil rights education tour this summer and autumn will offer workshops on protest safety, police accountability and immigration rights at UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and other California institutions.

The programme targets student leaders and young advocates who are already engaged but need legal tools to act safely and effectively. For fathers watching their teenagers navigate an increasingly complex world, these workshops offer something more valuable than theoretical knowledge – practical skills their children can use immediately.

Parents can start conversations at home by attending sessions together, learning alongside their children rather than lecturing them. Building this kind of purpose-driven education foundation gives young people confidence to handle real-world challenges. Lacy provides families with specific contacts and resources: his legal hotline at (213) 433-7616 connects families directly to guidance during crisis situations.

The attorney’s background in cases involving youth and police gives weight to his teaching. His firm partner led the charge in the historic Rodney King case, providing institutional knowledge about how legal rights translate into real protection during volatile situations.

Supporting Families When Crisis Hits

Legal knowledge becomes meaningless without community support during actual crises. Lacy and community organiser Carrie Lyn (Ms. NFTy), president of Stand With Crypto California, announced a grassroots initiative to support over 100 families directly impacted by recent raids.

The support package includes donated meals, movie tickets and wellness resources – offering families a chance to reconnect and decompress amid crisis. ‘We can’t undo the trauma – but we can show up with love, dignity, and protection,’ said Ms. NFTy. ‘We are here, boots on the ground, with the people.’

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, a longtime advocate for immigrant families, joined the effort. ‘Making sure families have the knowledge and tools to protect themselves,’ she said. ‘As local leaders, we have a responsibility to stand with our communities and offer real support.’

The collaborative effort, supported by contributions from The Albright – Santa Monica’s longest-standing family-owned restaurant, which also hosted the event – shows how legal education connects to broader community resilience.

Preparing Leaders, Not Just Survivors

Lacy’s university workshops target something beyond basic legal survival – developing the next generation of informed leaders. By focusing on student organisations and campus groups, the programme builds legal literacy among young people who will shape policy and community responses in years to come.

When university students learn their rights and teach others, they create networks of informed advocates rather than isolated individuals trying to navigate complex legal situations alone. The approach builds community capacity, not just personal protection.

Similar programmes like Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Right to Education Project and Learning for Justice resources provide templates for fathers and mentors seeking practical legal education materials they can use with young people in their communities.

Taking the First Step

The fathers who stood on Santa Monica Pier last Thursday didn’t leave with law degrees – they left with phone numbers to call, questions to ask at dinner tables, and confidence that legal knowledge can be as practical as teaching their children to drive.

Lacy’s message resonates because it combines constitutional principles with street-smart application. Like the discipline and resilience training that builds lasting confidence, legal education prepares young people for real-world challenges they’ll actually face.

To request a workshop or get involved in Good and Common’s educational efforts, families can reach out at (213) 433-7616. The investment of a few hours learning alongside your children might be the most practical gift you can give them.