Before becoming a second-career student at South Texas College of Law Houston, Katie Skelton was a second-generation teacher who had dedicated a decade of her life to educating children.
While teaching, she grew increasingly frustrated by administrative red tape and other barriers keeping her from meaningfully supporting her students. Her efforts to sponsor student organizations, such as a Gay-Straight Alliance club, quickly stalled. Over time, the gap between what she knew her students needed and what she was allowed to do continued to widen.
“Growing up, I wasn’t as open-minded,” she said. “Now, I feel strongly about gay rights, women’s rights, immigrant rights — all of it. Those kids need to feel supported and have a sense of community, too.”
Her evolving perspective and her experience in the public school system became deeply intertwined with her legal ambitions, reinforcing her desire to pursue work that aligned with her values — one where she could actively address systemic issues and advocate for others.
After reflecting on her options, the field of law emerged as her natural next step.
“I’d always been intrigued by the law, and I figured this is how I could do some good,” Skelton said.
Once she enrolled at South Texas Law, Skelton discovered a new sense of purpose, particularly after she was introduced to civil rights law. A class taught by an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) staff attorney proved especially influential, opening her eyes to the ways legal advocacy could directly challenge injustice and create tangible change.
In her second year of law school, Skelton became vice president of the campus ACLU chapter. The organization was still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she played a key role in revitalizing it.
As a 3L, she is taking greater responsibilities in her new roles as both ACLU chapter president and vice-president of OutLaw, the law school’s LGBTQ+ organization. She recently helped the organizations host and moderate an on-campus panel discussion about banned books, an issue she’s passionate about as an educator.
Under her leadership, the ACLU not only expanded its presence on campus, but within the city as a whole.
“We’re currently partnering with Democratic Law Students Association (DLSA), OutLaw, and the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to go out and protest,” Skelton said. “It’s exciting, being able to mobilize the organization on campus and in the community as a whole.”
For Skelton, that sense of engagement has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her experience. The opportunity to mobilize students, raise awareness, and foster dialogue has reaffirmed her belief in the power of collective action.
Now interning at the ACLU’s Houston headquarters, she dreams of pursuing a career in civil rights litigation after graduation, perhaps with the ACLU itself, where she can continue building on the work that first inspired her transition into law.
“My passion for civil rights has been what’s guided me through my law journey,” Skelton said. “The opportunity to go out into the world and use what I’ve learned to help others — that’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”
