News from the Center for Civic Education
Webinar to Help Teachers Understand Changes After 9/11, New Project Citizen Textbook Released, Constitutional Scholars and Former U.S. Senator Visit Wyoming We the People Teacher Institute, Bakersfield Project Citizen Group Finds Success, and More in This Month's Newsletter.
First Amendment Scholar David Hudson to Address Civil Liberties After 9/11
As the nation approaches the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Center for Civic Education will offer a free webinar for teachers on September 9 at 7 p.m. ET titled "Teaching 9/11 and the Constitution: Free Speech and Civil Liberties."
In the webinar, First Amendment scholar David Hudson will speak about the constitutional issues surrounding the federal government's reaction to the 9/11 attacks, how this affected free speech and other civil liberties, the tradeoffs involved, and whether this reaction was effective.
Professor Hudson's presentation will be followed by an exploration of new lessons related to 9/11 for teachers by Maria Gallo, Director of Professional Development & Special Programs for the Center for Civic Education.
This webinar is designed especially for teachers of civics, government, and U.S. history who want to better understand the constitutional implications of the U.S. government's reaction to 9/11, but everyone is welcome to attend.
Center for Civic Education Publishes New Edition of Project Citizen
A new third edition of the Center for Civic Education's popular Project Citizen Level 1 textbook for middle school students is now available. The 76-page illustrated textbook engages middle school students in proposing public policy solutions to real-world problems in their communities. Using ten clearly defined action steps, students learn the skills and knowledge they need to be active, responsible, and impactful citizens. A teacher's guide enhances instruction by providing tips from Project Citizen teachers and emphasizes the fundamentals of the public policymaking process.
Constitutional Scholars Join Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones at We the People Teacher Institute, PBS Feature to Follow
From July 25 to July 29, teachers from Wyoming and North Dakota gathered during the We the People teachers' institute to listen to presentations from former U.S. senator and U.S. attorney Doug Jones, as well as Dr. David Adler, president of the Alturas Institute, and Professor Tim Moore, deputy director of the Center for the Study of the American Constitution at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The John P. Ellbogen Foundation provided support for this event.
James Madison Legacy Project Research Published in MSCSS Journal
Mario Gallo and Dr. Diana Owen's article, "Closing the Civic Empowerment Gap: Professional Development for Teachers of High-Need Students," was recently published in the journal of the Middle States Council for the Social Studies. The article details a study on the effectiveness of teacher professional development associated with the James Madison Legacy Project.
"The James Madison Legacy Project was a seminal professional development and research opportunity," said Owen. "It provided strong evidence of the effectiveness of the We the People program in increasing civic knowledge and developing civic dispositions in high-need students."
Quick Quiz! Which political party strongly opposed the ratification of the Constitution because the "general Welfare" provision could be a dangerous threat to liberty?
A. Federalists
B. Anti-Federalists
C. Whigs
D. Democrats
Read on to learn the answer!
Project Citizen Students Successfully Implement Change for Student Representation on School Board
On June 30, former Project Citizen students in Bakersfield, California, successfully petitioned the Kern High School District board to include a student representative. In a statement to Bakersfield.com, student Salem Palmer said, "We're a district of 40,000 students, but we're not represented well." The students used the Project Citizen framework to create a plan to address this concern, resulting in the election of a student school board member.
Join Us in Supporting the Civics Secures Democracy Act
The Civics Secures Democracy Act needs you! This bipartisan legislation will create grants for states and districts to support and expand access to civics and U.S. history education. Please visit this link and contact your members of Congress. With a strong showing of nationwide support, we have the chance to make civics the bipartisan national priority it deserves to be.
Students Submit Diverse Project Citizen Portfolios
Students from throughout the country submitted class portfolios for evaluation for the recent Project Citizen National Showcase and the Project Citizen Research Program Showcase.
Students analyzed local issues within their school, community, or state and presented public policy solutions to address their selected problem. This year is the first time that students who have participated in PCRP also submitted their portfolios as part of the PCRP Showcase.
The policy issues covered included the following:
- Literacy
- Mental health
- The school to prison pipeline
- Waste management
- Service-learning policy
We are excited to see so many young minds tackling essential issues with Project Citizen!
Alumna and Former Board Member Discusses We the People on New Podcast
Former Center for Civic Education board member and We the People alumna Mariam Memarsadeghi sat down with Cara Candal and Derrell Bradford for an interview on the Learning Curve podcast from the Pioneer Institute. Among other topics, Memarsadeghi spoke about We the People and Tavaana, an organization she co-founded dedicated to creating a free and open Iran.
Quiz Answer!
B. Anti-Federalists (see episode 4400)
For more quizzes and learning opportunities, check out the 60-Second Civics podcast and daily civics quiz!
