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A national survey of 12,000 students, headed by two UConn professors for the Knight Foundation, found that a majority of high school students think the Bill of Rights “goes too far.”
September 19 offers an unusual opportunity to re-educate some of those students: By act of Congress, every school in the land is to have some program about the Constitution. To meet their obligation, many schools incorporate lessons into their social studies or civics curricula; others hold assemblies. Last year, our volunteer speakers were in about two dozen classrooms or schools. The schools were pleased, as we were, so we want to renew and expand the effort.
If you know a high school principal or civics/social studies teacher, please phone her or him to urge that they look at this website for details, and urge them to participate. Tell us please at schools@acluct.org
If your schedule permits you to share some time the week of September 17, please consider participating. We’re provide a two-hour orientation Friday late afternoon Sep. 12 in Hartford, or Saturday morning Sep. 13 in New Haven, with some of last year’s Constitution Day speakers sharing their experience. Contact us please at students@acluct.org.
“Three of four high school students either don’t know about or don’t care about the First Amendment,” said Alberto Ibarguen, president and CEO of the Knight Foundation. “If our nation is to be governed well by the coming generations, that sad statistic must change.”
Please urge your local school to take advantage of this program, and consider joining one of our orientation sessions and participating in a school program.
The Constitution Day/week program is one of several ACLU-CT initiatives, including responsibilities assumed from CFAR, the former Center for First Amendment Rights. Included this fall are a statewide colloquium for high school students, Constitution Day, and Banned Books Week, the latter in collaboration with the Connecticut chapter of the American Library Association.
Knight Foundation and Channel One Join to Help Groups Promote National Constitution Day and Appreciation for the First Amendment
Also relevant:
Banned Book Week in Madison: Author to Talk about Comic Book Burning and Banning
Banned Book Week musical event: First Amendment Rock Off in Hartford Oct. 2
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