Interesting idea.

[belgareth]

Mission to Mandate Teaching of Constitution Inserted Into Bill



Los Angeles Times





By Richard Simon

And Emma Schwartz Times Staff Writers



WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), promoting his lifelong passion for the U.S.

Constitution, has inserted into a massive federal spending bill a requirement that schools devote at least part of a

day each year to teaching about the document.

The provision would

apply to all schools, elementary through college, that receive federal aid. Education groups worry that the

provision could be the opening wedge in a campaign by Washington to influence what schools teach.



Byrd carries a copy of the Constitution in his breast pocket — over

his heart — and often waves it on the Senate floor. He lamented in a recent speech that even some of his colleagues

in Congress didn't know fully what it said. "An informed public is our best defense against tyranny," he said.



The provision he inserted in the spending bill, which is expected to

clear Congress next week, would require schools that receive federal funding to teach about the Constitution on

Sept. 17 — a day that Byrd has sought, in separate legislation, to declare a national holiday to mark the

anniversary of the document's signing in 1787. The provision also would require federal agency heads to include

information about the Constitution in every new federal employee's orientation.



The legislation took education officials in the capital by surprise.

While they did not contest the importance of teaching the Constitution, many expressed concern that Congress was

overstepping its authority.

"It's the kind of intervention from the

federal level that really has no place in our system of education," said Vincent Ferrandino, executive director of

the National Assn. of Elementary School Principals. "If there is concern on the part of members of Congress that the

Constitution is not being taught in our schools, I think that's an issue that ought to be raised in other venues."



The problem is magnified, said Dan Fuller, director of federal

programs for the National School Boards Assn., by the "stringent federal requirements" of the No Child Left Behind

Act.

"If the federal government starts mandating additional

curriculum and additional requirements and items that take away from classroom time," Fuller said, "it's going to

make it increasingly difficult for schools to fulfill the requests."

Mary Kusler, senior legislative specialist for the American Assn. of School Administrators, said: "We think

it's great that Congress really wants to make sure that every child understands the Constitution. But we hope that

members of Congress will remember the Constitution itself when they make policy. And the 10th Amendment clearly

states that education is a state's right."

The Constitution

requirement, first revealed by the Chronicle of Higher Education, is one of several extraneous provisions that have

come to light in the weeks since Congress passed the 3,320-page bill hours after most lawmakers received copies of

it. One provision that set off a furor would have allowed the chairmen and staffs of the House and Senate

appropriations committees to examine individuals' income tax returns. The Senate stripped the bill of the

provision, and the House is expected to follow suit next week.

The

watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense wrote congressional leaders Friday urging them to scrap the bill and start

over.

"When a bill of this size is cobbled together behind closed

doors by a few and rammed through at the last minute, it is a license for legislative mischief," wrote Jill

Lancelot, the group's president.

The cost of implementing Byrd's

provision has yet to be calculated, but an aide to the senator asked, "How much cost is there in bringing kids into

the auditorium and having a presentation on the Constitution?"

Byrd

said on the Senate floor in September that few Americans took note of the anniversary of the signing of the

Constitution.

"The flag is a potent symbol of our nation, but this

Constitution which I hold in my hand is the soul of the nation," he said. "Practically everything you do is made

possible by or is guaranteed or is protected by this Constitution. It is the prism through which each act of our

government should be examined and judged."

[a.k.a.]

This is obviously a political ploy

to make the Republican Congress look anti-constitutional (which it is). But I like it.

Funny how the

Constitution has turned into a subversive document. In my opinion it doesn’t even mean much without the Bill of

Rights and the Declaration of Independence.

[j5fakt0r]

Did you guys know that

somewhere in the constitution its written that if the gov't is like acting bad and taking away freedoms and such,

that the people have the right to "assemble in their own homes" to overthrow the gov't? This was because back in

the day england was such a tyranny and whatnot. But today if any of this stuff was done it would be considered

treasony. Ironic ain't it?

[belgareth]

Although it isn't likely to

happen, we have the right to vote congress out of existance as well. One of the biggest problems trying to reform

our system is the apathetic attitude most people seem to have towards government. At best, they are willing to whine

and complain about it but when it comes to making their voices heard, they are too busy with important things like

prime time TV.

[Surreal]

Did you guys

know that somewhere in the constitution its written that if the gov't is like acting bad and taking away freedoms

and such, that the people have the right to "assemble in their own homes" to overthrow the gov't? This was because

back in the day england was such a tyranny and whatnot. But today if any of this stuff was done it would

be considered treasony. Ironic ain't it?

That is a stimulating thought. I

believe a few individuals and small groups attempted such thing and used this very same outlook.

one word:

paradox.

I guess 'we' could do a legal koo

(phe·neti·cal·ly spelled) We can

call it 'FFAAP' Freedom For All American Poeples. It my take several centuries to install FFAAP party members

within the top echelons of the american goverment.


Contitution learning in schools.... I belive it is a good

stand alone idea. Even solely on the basis to promote a broad spectrum of learning.

"well rounded education"

[DrSmellThis]

Byrd is of course correct that

every child should be taught the Constitution, as well as the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.



Whether making it a prerequisite for federal funding should happen is another matter. Education should be locally

controlled, and that might be an unnecesary degree of Federal control. But I'm inclined to sort of agree with Byrd,

as I don't think there would have to be a lot of extra red tape for it. I could be wrong. Maybe you could

achieve it with incentives.

When I was in grade school there was Civics class, which was an appropriate place

for it. We did spend time on those documents, though not enough. Now, education is so watered down, local school

officials worry there is no time and place for it. The school year was longer in those days, too. We were also

taught art and music, and yet had physics and calculus in high school (a friend of mine in Nigeria was taught Plato

and Aristotle in high school). Now people are lucky if they can read and write, as I found out to my dismay when I

taught in a community college (Some of the posting by English speaking natives on this forum bears that out as well,

unfortunately.).

[belgareth]

Although I knew it existed I

did not actually study the constitution or the bill of rights until college PoliSci. I made sure my kids all read

them while still in elementery school.

[j5fakt0r]

I vaguely remember reading

ABOUT the constitution while in elementary school, but I also didn't really understand the importance of it until

Highschool, and I never knew about the things that the gov't have been doing that seem "unconstitutional" until

like 3 years ago =\.

When I have kids I'm gonna make sure they understand that stuff by the time they're out

of elementary school!

[oscar]

bel,

In the United States the

Constitution should be required reading for all incoming freshmen entering High School, College, and Congress.
Now

that I think of it, we might want to extend that to presidential candidates as well!

Oscar

[belgareth]

bel,

In the

United States the Constitution should be required reading for all incoming freshmen entering High School, College,

and Congress.
Now that I think of it, we might want to extend that to presidential candidates as well!



Oscar

Not just reading it but understanding how it pertains to us, maybe even tested on understanding

it. What the government is not allowed to do and what it's responsibilities are. Also what the people's rights and

responsibilities are. The biggest problem with that is interpretation. Some are strict constructionists and others

consider it to be a living document. There are problems with both views.

[Mtnjim]

Although I knew it

existed I did not actually study the constitution or the bill of rights until college PoliSci. I made sure my kids

all read them while still in elementery school.

Must be the value of education that those of us who

are as old as dirt got, but we had to be able to recite the preamble of the Constitution (from memory) in the 9th

grade (civics class).

[belgareth]

You are about 10 years older

than me. Guess it changed pretty fast. The only thing kids seem to know about rights and responsibility now is that

they can call CPS or an attorney to avoid any repercussions for their actions.

[j5fakt0r]

You are about

10 years older than me. Guess it changed pretty fast. The only thing kids seem to know about rights and

responsibility now is that they can call CPS or an attorney to avoid any repercussions for their actions.

Indeed this is true. I remember when I was taking US history in highschool, my teacher said that people that

really know the law are either lawyers or people in the mafia!

[Mtnjim]

...The only thing

kids seem to know about rights and responsibility now is that they can call CPS or an attorney to avoid any

repercussions for their actions.

Ya', I guess it's our generation's fault for not teaching the

little twerps "responsability", gee, what a concept!!!