It’s a new day in the Law Magnet with the new law teacher Mr. Bustamante who brings a fresh approach towards teaching law after veteran law teacher Mr. Asper retired last month.

Mr. Bustamante says he is ecstatic about being the new law teacher because he himself graduated from the law program and was taught by Mr. Asper.

On February 28, 2019, Miami High and the Law Magnet said goodbye to Mr. Asper who taught at Miami High for 31 years, was the head of the law magnet program, and taught classes like Comprehensive Law, Ethics and, Constitutional Law. According to Mr. Bustamante, Mr. Asper will be remembered for “his pragmatic approach, experience and wisdom towards law.”

The Graduate Returns

Law Magnet classes, which Mr. Asper taught, were given an updated view with Mr. Bustamante, an alumnus of Miami High who incorporates current events and legal challenges in the United States and around the world into the lessons he teaches.

He thinks that it’s amazing to be teaching in a program from which he graduated from. His favorite memory as a student was when he used to anchor Sting Town News and burst into laughter not being able to contain himself because everyone else was laughing too.

The New Vision

Mr. Bustamante sees himself as still being the law teacher here 10 years from now. He says that he likes to have more class discussions than Mr. Asper had and that he would like to make these discussions two-way while also having a pragmatic approach like Mr. Asper did.

As a teacher, Mr. Bustamante learned from Mr. Asper to take it easy, care about what you do while not letting it overwhelm you, and invest yourself, so others will too.

Besides being a graduate of the Law Magnet program, Mr. Bustamante also has a legal background as a legal assistant for an injury law firm.

He plans to give his students real-world applications regarding law. He plans on having conversations that senators and legislators are having in our government about topics that students aren’t able to have in other classes, anything from immigration to gun rights.

Student Opinions

Even though he just started teaching in the Law Magnet, students have positive things to say about him. Junior Jesse Ortega thinks Mr. Bustamante seems to care about what he does and is going to make the program better. Ortega adds that she has always liked the program. “Asper was a good teacher, and I’m excited to try some mock trials,” she said.

Junior Andrea Crespo says, “He makes learning interesting,” and is looking forward to learning new things about law with him.

Sophomore Janisha Smith thinks that it’s good that we’re bringing a new generation of teachers into the forefront. She is excited about this new chapter because “we can relate to and understand him better because he has a fresher view on law.”

Mr. Bustamante would like to tell his students that being a recent graduate from here he knows what the immediate future looks like for his students-bright. He also wants to tell his students to listen more.

Fast Facts About Mr. Bustamante

• Graduated from Miami High in 2014
• Was a Law Magnet student
• Favorite high school memory was in his T.V. Production class
• Used to work at an injury law firm
• Sees himself teaching law 10 years from now