September-Earth, Wind, and Fire

How many of you were aware that September 17 is Constitution Day?  As a government teacher I find Constitution Day a fascinating topic for class discussion for several reasons:

1.     1. Most Americans don’t even know it exists.

2.     2. Many schools do not follow the federal law that requires students who attend a school receiving federal funds to learn about the Constitution on Constitution Day.

3.     3. Most people have no idea how Constitution Day became a law which is that it was added as an amendment to a bill to get a certain senator (who loved the Constitution) to vote for the bill.

All of these topics bring up such excellent discussion points for a government class:

 Should we honor the Constitution with its own day once a year?  If so, how?

• Does daily good citizenship do more to honor the Constitution than one special day? And what does good citizenship really look like?
• How is the balance of power determined with respect to our federal system and federal mandates?
• How are laws made?
• Should Senators and Representatives vote for a bill just because an amendment they like is added?
• And so much more!
  

This year, I was able to participate in a unique Constitution Day experience in Washington D.C.  The Civics Renewal Network gathered a teacher and student from nearly every state in Washington D.C. for a Constitution celebration.  The Annenburg Public Policy Center and Close Up Foundation sponsored the trip and prepared an outstanding 48 hours full of activities.   

In conjunction with the events, the Civics Renewal Network launched their new website which is a collection of civic education resources from teachers and celebrated civic action projects from students around the United States.

I traveled with a Bozeman High School student, Claire, who was selected for her work on gender equality issues, voter registration initiatives, and other civic action projects.

Constitution Day began with a trip to the Capitol Hill area where all of the students and teachers participated in the #PreambleChallenge.  Classes from around the country submitted videos of themselves reciting the Preamble to the Constitution in a unique way.  While Claire and I were participating in D.C. which you can view here, some of my students in Bozeman participated as well, which you can see here.

We then walked over to the Japanese Internment Memorial which I found a fitting reminder that our country has not always protected our Constitution’s ideals equally for all citizens.  I say this, not to be critical of our country, but rather to emphasize the approach that as a society we should continually strive to learn from our mistakes and work to improve as a country.  I was so impressed with this quote by Ronald Reagan:

Being interviewed by the paparazzi

Students were then taken to the National Archives where they were able to observe a naturalization ceremony in front of the actual Constitution on Constitution Day, it doesn’t get much more patriotic than that.  Teachers were taken to the Newseum where we participated in a press conference launching the Civics Renewal Network’s new website, which you can check out here.  We then participated in a panel discussion on “Stewarding America: Institutions and Civic Life” hosted by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  It was an inspiring event that reminded me of the importance of maintaining strong support for civic education in our public school system.

Discussing policy with Congressman Daines

Discussing gender issues with Senator Walsh

Our afternoon was packed with appointments on Capitol Hill.  We were able to meet with Representative Steve Daines on the steps of the House while he was between votes as it was a busy day in the Capitol.  We also met with Montana Senator John Walsh who had a great discussion with Claire about her work on gender equality issues.  We were then able to observe a Senate committee hearing, a first for both of us.  We wrapped up the afternoon by applying for library cards at the Library of Congress before heading back to the Newseum for a dinner reception.  During dinner we witnessed an entertaining re-enactment of a Founding Fathers debate.  Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison debated whether or not the Bill of Rights needed to be added to the Constitution.  It was highly engaging and a good reminder that we should not take our rights for granted.

The view from Speaker Boehner's balcony

On Speaker Boehner's balcony

Behind the scenes before entering the House floor

After dinner, Claire and I were able to get special permission to meet Representative Daines back at the Capitol building for a private after-hours tour. He was so kind and patient as we explored the building and asked a ton of questions.  We were able to sit on the floor of the House of Representatives, stand at the podiums, and visit the Speaker of the House’s private balcony.  I learned so much more about the inner workings of the Capitol as well as the day-to-day life of a legislator-and I thought I was busy!  After nearly two hours we headed back to our hotel, but not before getting a Capitol stairs selfie with our awesome guide!

Library of Congress Main Reading Room

Thursday morning our Civics Renewal Network program officially ended, but we were lucky enough to schedule later flights to allow us a bit more time in D.C.  First thing in the morning, we used our new library cards and were able to explore the Main Reading room in the Library of Congress.  If you have never been to the Library of Congress, it is really a must-see in Washington D.C.   It is a beautiful building inside and out and the two story book alcoves in the main reading room were incredible to explore. I was able to find a book printed 202 years ago!

Following our library visit we spend some time with Senator Jon Tester, making our visits with the Montana Congressional Delegation complete.  Senator Tester and Claire had a great discussion about civic action.  We still had a little bit of time so we explored the International Spy Museum which was an exhilarating trip through air ducts and bugged hallways on the history of international spying.

Overall it was an exciting and thought provoking way to spend Constitution Day 2014 and I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on the importance of civic education as I witnessed democracy in action.