What is the Fair Fight in the Marketplace Initiative?

Many complicated controversial issues confront today's young people. The challenge of education is to help young people develop the knowledge and skills to confront and address those issues. This initiative provides an excellent opportunity to teach practical legal information about an area of economics and consumer protection not broadly understood, and not presently taught in schools: antitrust law.

To do this Street Law, Inc. has teamed up with the American Antitrust Institute, Filmmakers Collaborative, and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The goal of the initiative is to develop, distribute and implement a compelling educational package designed to tap into the interest of young people and provide them with basic information about antitrust law. The package consists of a compelling documentary film (DVD) built around antitrust cases and five lessons that provide background information and resources for teachers who may have had few antitrust curriculum materials in the past. The film and lessons are easily integrated into classroom settings and specifically developed to fit into 45 to 50 minute classes. The interactive strategies woven into the lessons will spur student understanding and involvement and build skills.

The Fair Fight in the Marketplace Initiative will:

• provide practical understanding of antitrust and the legal system that can be useful to people in their everyday lives;
• promote awareness of current issues and controversies in the antitrust arena;
• improve understanding of government's role in implementation of antitrust laws and trying to assure fair business practices;
• encourage effective and informed civic decision making about law and public policy related to competition and market fairness;
• improve basic civic skills including creative and critical thinking, communication, observation and problem-solving.