Some called it the trial of the century, and in the end, it was something good for the beloved character of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.”
The 5th-grade class at Tanglewood Elementary in Fort Worth took part in a mock trial in the 371st District Court at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
They’d been reading “The Wizard of Oz” and decided to put Dorothy Gale on trial for capital murder, criminal conspiracy, assault, and trespassing in the death of the Wicked Witch.
The students wrote papers to persuade their teachers to name them to a desired role.
Bobby Brittyn, for instance, told teachers he was very good and confident with his words and should be a defense attorney to follow in the footsteps of his dad and granddad.
Everyone had a role, from attorneys to witnesses to bailiff, judge, and jury.
After all the evidence had been presented, a verdict of not guilty was returned.
Dorothy Gale got her day in court and was acquitted by a jury of her 5th-grade peers!
Mom Brittyn Brender sent us the story and says bringing the book to life taught the students about the criminal justice system, teamwork, and enhanced their comprehension skills.