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ACLU PROS & CONS
Last updated on: 11/6/2017 12:11:43 PM PST ACLU Pros & Cons Home Page > Source Biographies > >Sheila Suess Kennedy, JD

Sheila Suess Kennedy, JD Biography

Title: Professor and Director of Public Affairs Programs in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Position: Pro to the question "Is the ACLU Good for America?"
Reasoning:
"The ACLU has been the pre-eminent protector of the individual liberties protected by the Bill of Rights. Today, when there are many other legal organizations and public interest law firms that focus on constitutional issues and the rights of individuals, it can be easy to overlook the role that the ACLU played in defining how Americans understand individual liberty. We sometimes forget that the U.S. Constitution is not self-enforcing; that is, unless a lawsuit is brought that successfully asserts that a governmental action violates the Constitution or Bill of Rights, nothing will happen, and the violation will continue. That means that violations of the rights of people who cannot afford to hire a lawyer will not be redressed.

In the 1920's, when the ACLU was founded, there were no organizations willing to represent people without charge in order to insure government compliance with the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The ACLU represented workers trying to form unions, and was virtually the only predominantly white organization to oppose racism and denounce the then-resurgent Ku Klux Klan. The organization has been instrumental in a majority of important Supreme Court cases protecting free speech, religious liberty, due process and other important rights."
Email to ProCon.org, Oct. 17, 2017
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:  Experts
Individuals with PhDs and JDs or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to the ACLU. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to the ACLU.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Professor and Director of Public Affairs Programs, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 1998-present
  • Executive Director, Indiana Civil Liberties Union, 1992-1998
  • President, Kennedy Development Services, 1987-1992
  • Partner, Mears Crawford Kennedy and Eichholtz, 1980-1986
  • Republican Candidate, 11th Congressional District, 1980
  • Corporation Counsel, City of Indianapolis, 1977-1980
  • Associate Attorney, Baker and Daniels, 1975-1977
  • Education:
  • JD, cum laude, Indiana University School of Law, 1975
  • BS, Education, Indiana University, 1964
  • AA, Stephens College for Women, 1960
  • Contact Info: Phone: 317-274-2895
    Fax: None found
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: www.sheilakennedy.net
    Select Publications:
  • Talking Politics?: What You Need to Know before Opening Your Mouth, 2016
  • American Public Services: Constitutional and Ethical Foundations, 2010
  • Distrust, American Style: Diversity and the Crisis of Public Confidence, 2009
  • God and Country: America in Red and Blue, 2007
  • Charitable Choice at Work: Faith-Based Job Training in the States, 2006
  • Pickin' Fights with Thunderstorms, 2005
  • To Market, To Market: Reinventing Indianapolis, 2001
  • Free Expression in America: A Documentary History, 1999
  • What's a Nice Republican Girl Like Me Doing at the ACLU?, 1997
  • Other:
  • Professional affiliations include: Indiana State Bar Association, Indiana Leadership Celebration, American Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association, American Society for Public Administration, Indiana Society for Public Administration, Law and Society Association
  • Awards received include: Chancellor's Faculty Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement, 2010; Trustee Teaching Award, IUPUI, 2009; Outstanding Alumni of the Year, IU School of Law–Indianapolis, 2008; Robert Risk Award for Lifetime Achievement, ACLU of Indiana, 2008; Johnson Award for Best Paper in Ethics and Accountability, 2005; Champion of Liberty Award from the Marion County Libertarians, 2004; Building Bridges of Understanding Award from Indy Choruses, 2004; Who's Who Among America's Teachers, 2004, 2005; Citation of Excellence, Emerald Management Independent Review Board; IUPUI's Outstanding Female Faculty, 2002; Who's Who in America, 2002; Jencks Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Law in Indiana, 2002; Indiana Liberty Award, Lambda Legal Defense, 2001; American Library Association, 30th Anniversary Roll of Honor, Office for Intellectual Freedom and Freedom to Read Foundation, 1999
  • Quoted in:
    • 1. Does the ACLU Undermine the War on Terror?
    • 2. Is the ACLU Anti-Religion?
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