Some teachers grumble over timing of Constitution Day

santa cruz sentinel ^ | Sept. 16, 2005 | By JEFF TOBIN

[EggsAckley]

In the halls of American schools, the date Sept. 17 might not mean much.

The federal government wants to change that.

A new federal law requires schools that get federal money — including colleges — to set the day aside as a special celebration of the U.S. Constitution in an effort to combat an apparent ignorance of the country’s "supreme law."

The date, which falls on a Saturday this year, can be observed by schools any time this week or next week. Many schools will celebrate today or Monday.

Teachers, not just in social studies departments, always include topics of historical importance in their lessons, but this year marks the first time the federal government requires that a certain topic is taught at a particular time.

But there are no enforcement measures, and some teachers are grumbling because the mandate interferes with the natural course of their lesson plans.

(excerpt: link above)

[EggsAckley]

"To have this artificial day doesn’t make sense to a lot of teachers," said Ron Indra, chairman of the Harbor High School Social Studies Department." It interrupts the flow of the curriculum.

"To stop what you’re doing and do one assignment that’s not logically tied to anything you’re currently talking about doesn’t make sense to teachers or students."

In other words, in Santa Cruz schools, the Constitution is a topic we've never taught.

[cripplecreek]

It's only going to get worse as long as we elect democrats and democrats who call themselves republicans.

[antiRepublicrat]

Think we can make the administration, Congress and the judges sit in on some of these classes? They sure could use it.

[Irontank]

A new federal law requires schools that get federal money — including colleges — to set the day aside as a special celebration of the U.S. Constitution in an effort to combat an apparent ignorance of the country’s "supreme law."

Of course, federal funding of any school or collge (and this law for that matter) is a violation of the Constitution

[coconutt2000]

We have to invent a drinking game based on the Constitution... College students would become experts overnight.

[Incorrigible]

Constitution Day indeed!

[EQAndyBuzz]

This should be a week and not a day.

[SoftballMominVA]

I'm a teacher at a middle school in a rural Virginia county. In our school (and I believe district wide) the students were given copies of the Preamble to read in Homeroom this morning and then we all read it together with students leading over the intercom.

It made me proud to be in this area.

[Archon of the East]

...School Social Studies Department

Certainly explains his opposition. Time to ram the Constitution down the throats of these pinko's.

[Irontank]

Was GWB's proposal for $200 billion of unconstitutional federal spending his way of celebrating Constitution Day? What a joke

[siunevada]

"To stop what you’re doing and do one assignment that’s not logically tied to anything you’re currently talking about doesn’t make sense to teachers or students."

Okay, Ron. When would you like to do it?

High School Social Studies. Yeah, tough to squeeze the Constitution into Social Studies. And the Feds just threw this at us! We had no idea it was coming! We're so far into the school year!

[antiRepublicrat]

Byrd cited recent polls that show less than half of Americans know the meaning of separation of powers, one of the core ideas behind the country’s system of government.

This is just supremely ironic. Another core idea behind the country's system of government is the sovereignty of the states and the limited stated powers of the federal government. Yet the feds have no problem nosing into state matters using powers not granted to them, such as this one.

Not that I'm against the idea, if implemented by the states. But as I mentioned in my last post, the bill's sponsors should have been required to take these same classes.

[Professional Engineer]

A new federal law requires schools that get federal money — including colleges — to set the day aside as a special celebration of the U.S. Constitution in an effort to combat an apparent ignorance of the country’s "supreme law."

Oh Yeah!

[Irontank]

This should be a week and not a day

It should be every day...but if the requirement to have a Constitution Day is based on an unconstitutional federal law, I don't hold out much hope that the real meaning of the Constitution will be taught. One who thinks he knows the Constitution but has a perverted understanding of it (like your average law school graduate) is worse than someone who knows he doesn't know anything about it

[Soaring Feather]

Yeah, what you said.

[Corin Stormhands]

It just seems right to ping you to this thread.

[Still Thinking]

If teaching the Constitution conflicts with the lesson plan, it simply shows there's something wrong with the lesson plan. (Verifying the need for the law in question)

[Burf]

I just guess they will have to cut back on the amount of time allocated to Gay Pride Day/Week/Month, and Black History Month. Besides everybody knows social studies has to do with after school activities and not boring stuff about old slave owning white Christian homophobic men!


Sing it Merle:

[lmavk]

They'd rather be teaching how to put on a condom I suppose.

[Issaquahking]

Exactly!!!

It's only going to get worse as long as we elect democrats and democrats who call themselves republicans.

I've only voted republican the last few times because it was the only way to hold the line. The democrats have became the party of everything far left. Meanwhile, republicans after 40 years of rats being in charge, seem to fail to understand how to lead. They'd be smart to move towards the conservative corner, or America may see a third party of substance form.

Funny that we do have a party, if they play smart, is starting to coma along ~ It's called "The Constitution Party"!