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Some teachers grumble over timing of Constitution Day
santa cruz sentinel ^
| Sept. 16, 2005
| By JEFF TOBIN
Posted on 09/16/2005 10:13:56 AM PDT by 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 countrys "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)
(Excerpt) Read more at santacruzsentinel.com ...
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: civicseducation; constitutionday; educationfunding
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"To have this artificial day doesnt 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 youre doing and do one assignment thats not logically tied to anything youre currently talking about doesnt make sense to teachers or students."
In other words, in Santa Cruz schools, the Constitution is a topic we've never taught.
To: EggsAckley
It's only going to get worse as long as we elect democrats and democrats who call themselves republicans.
2
posted on
09/16/2005 10:15:37 AM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
To: EggsAckley
Think we can make the administration, Congress and the judges sit in on some of these classes? They sure could use it.
To: EggsAckley
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 countrys "supreme law."
Of course, federal funding of any school or collge (and this law for that matter) is a violation of the Constitution
4
posted on
09/16/2005 10:16:10 AM PDT
by
Irontank
(Let them revere nothing but religion, morality and liberty -- John Adams)
To: EggsAckley
We have to invent a drinking game based on the Constitution... College students would become experts overnight.
5
posted on
09/16/2005 10:16:50 AM PDT
by
coconutt2000
(NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
To: Constitution Day
6
posted on
09/16/2005 10:17:15 AM PDT
by
Incorrigible
(If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
To: Irontank
This should be a week and not a day.
7
posted on
09/16/2005 10:17:59 AM PDT
by
EQAndyBuzz
(Liberal Talking Point - Bush = Hitler ... Republican Talking Point - Let the Liberals Talk)
To: EggsAckley
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.
To: EggsAckley
...School Social Studies Department Certainly explains his opposition. Time to ram the Constitution down the throats of these pinko's.
9
posted on
09/16/2005 10:18:35 AM PDT
by
Archon of the East
("universal executive power of the law of nature")
To: EggsAckley
Was GWB's proposal for $200 billion of unconstitutional federal spending his way of celebrating Constitution Day? What a joke
10
posted on
09/16/2005 10:18:45 AM PDT
by
Irontank
(Let them revere nothing but religion, morality and liberty -- John Adams)
To: EggsAckley
"To stop what youre doing and do one assignment thats not logically tied to anything youre currently talking about doesnt 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!
To: EggsAckley
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 countrys 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.
To: Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; snippy_about_it; bentfeather; Samwise; SAMWolf; alfa6; Iris7; Valin; ...
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 countrys "supreme law."Oh Yeah!
13
posted on
09/16/2005 10:22:38 AM PDT
by
Professional Engineer
(As an Engineer, you too can control the awesome power of the Ductalator.)
To: EQAndyBuzz
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
14
posted on
09/16/2005 10:22:52 AM PDT
by
Irontank
(Let them revere nothing but religion, morality and liberty -- John Adams)
To: Professional Engineer
15
posted on
09/16/2005 10:24:05 AM PDT
by
Soaring Feather
(Going to the End of the Line...)
To: Constitution Day
It just seems right to ping you to this thread.
16
posted on
09/16/2005 10:24:32 AM PDT
by
Corin Stormhands
(Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
To: EggsAckley
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)
17
posted on
09/16/2005 10:25:42 AM PDT
by
Still Thinking
(Disregard the law of unintended consequences at your own risk.)
To: siunevada
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:
18
posted on
09/16/2005 10:31:28 AM PDT
by
Burf
(We'll all be drinking that free Bubble Up and eatin' that Rainbow Stew.)
To: EggsAckley
They'd rather be teaching how to put on a condom I suppose.
19
posted on
09/16/2005 10:39:01 AM PDT
by
lmavk
To: cripplecreek; CyberCowboy777
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"!
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