Celebrate Constitution Day on September 17!

In December 2004, Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginiasponsored an amendment, approved by the House and Senate, requiring all educational institutions receiving federal funds to implement educational programs relating to the U.S. Constitution on September 17, the date the Constitution was signed in 1787. The legislation took effect in 2005.

Constitution Day provides the perfect opportunity for you to speak to students about the rule of law and how that concept is embodied in our Constitution, the oldest written constitution of any nation on earth. You can talk about the Bill of Rights or talk about what an independent judiciary means.

Or contact the State Bar of Texas Law-Related Education (LRE) Department for program information and ideas (www.texaslre.org). For example, one fun LRE program sends "Patrick Henry" and "Alexander Hamilton" to schools to reenact a debate on the ratification of the Constitution.

To learn more about Constitution Day, you can visit several sites, including:

The National Constitution Center, which offers numerous resources for planning Constitution Day programs:
www.constitutioncenter.org

The Bill of Rights Institute, which educates students on the words and ideas of America's founders:
www.billofrightsinstitute.org

Constitution Facts, which includes a downloadable pocket-sized Constitution plus games and quizzes:
www.constitutionfacts.com