Opinion: Constitution Day Observance Lags in Most U.S. Schools
Nearly 90% of schools fail to comply with the legal requirement to provide Constitution Day programs for students, risking civic education quality nationwide.
Letter to the Editor:
With so much troubling news on the national stage, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. One person alone cannot shift the tide against powerful institutions that seem to subvert liberty at every turn. But that doesn’t mean we are powerless. Each of us can still take meaningful action.
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This September, we have an opportunity. September 17 is Constitution Day, marking the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. Federal law requires that every educational institution receiving federal funds provide a program on the Constitution for students on this day. Unfortunately, research shows that nearly 90% of schools fail to comply. Our children are too often deprived of even a basic understanding of the foundation of our government and our republic.
I urge readers to take one simple step: call your local school principals. Remind them of their legal duty to observe Constitution Day, and don’t go empty-handed—share helpful, nonpartisan resources such as the National Constitution Center’s Learning Materials. Making that call now gives schools time to prepare.
If each of us does just this one thing, we can begin to reclaim a vital piece of civic education for the next generation.
One person can make a difference—especially when each of us does our part.
As President Ronald Reagan said: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
Dallas Zimmerman
Bethalto
Opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of RiverBender.com or its affiliates. We provide a platform for community voices, but the responsibility for opinions rests with their authors.
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