Alaska lawmakers debate requiring constitutional education

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Alaska lawmakers debate requiring constitutional education
By MOLLY DISCHNER, Associated Press | February 6, 2015 | Updated: February 6, 2015 4:14pm

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers are considering a bill that would require school districts to teach American constitutionalism, the latest of several state government measures across the U.S. aimed at civics education.

Alaska's House Education Committee heard Friday from members of the public who supported the bill, including some educators.

Bob Bird, who teaches constitutional law to 12th-graders at Nikiski High School, said students need more constitutional instruction. "Only when you actually parse through the documents, and the Federalist and Anti-federalist Papers, can you really understand what's going wrong" in the U.S., he said via teleconference.

Once students read the documents, Bird said, many understand "we are in a terrible constitutional mess."

The Republican-led bill would require Alaska high school students to study the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation, the Federalist Papers and the first state constitutions.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Alaska-lawmaker-wants-constitutionalism-added-to-6066139.php

[niyad]

1. too bad it wasn't around when the wasilla grifter was in school.

[Panich52]

5. It might have been around then. She just obviously didn't pay attn.

[niyad]

6. pretty sure she wasn't paying attention to much of anything. five colleges, six years, to get

a (clearly undeserved) degree in journalism???

[jalan48]

2. Great Idea

It's going to be hard for the right wingers to spin the Constitution.

[Xipe Totec]

3. Sweet Jebus, Alaska is teaching the rest of the states a lesson.

That's a first.

[Panich52]

4. One of Sen Byrd's last legis was Constitution Day, where schools concentrate lessons there.

But even he knew that was hardly sufficient. Whatever happened to civics classes, anyway? It was a requirement when I was in 9th grade (in mid 60s).

Other states are doing this, too, but at least one is limiting it, or coloring it to suit red-state bias. Not as bad as attempts to revise history classes, but may need fact-checked.

If your state comes up w/ plan, make sure to read the fine print.