Dear fellow teachers,

Last week, the Nation’s Report Card issued an assessment of eighth grade knowledge of civics and U.S. history, and the results confirm what we already know: America is facing a civics crisis. The history scores were the lowest since the history test was first administered in 1998, and civics scores dropped for the first time since 1994.

At the National Constitution Center, we have one solution to the civics crisis and you are a crucial part of it. Our solution is the simple, radical act of teaching American constitutional history on a nonpartisan basis, bringing together liberal and conservative scholars, public officials, judges, and journalists to present the best arguments on all sides of the constitutional issues at the center of American life so that learners of all ages can make up their own minds. On our podcasts, programs, and new Constitution 101 course, which we’re developing in collaboration with Khan Academy, we use a diversity of voices, and primary sources from our new Founders' Library, to teach the principles of the Constitution and the habits of civil dialogue and debate.

Sal Khan and I discussed the NAEP results in this op-ed in TIME, and I shared a few more thoughts in this video. Thanks to all of you for being part of our community of educators. It’s so meaningful to work with you to inspire students to learn about the U.S. Constitution!

With appreciation,

Jeffrey Rosen

President and CEO

Online Learning Opportunities

Live at the Museum: The Fourth Amendment: Can They Search That?

Wednesday, May 10 | 12 p.m. ET

Great for 3rd – 5th Grade Students

Can the government search your locker, open your backpack, and listen to your phone calls? The Constitution says that we are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures but can the government still look through your stuff? Join the Center’s education team in The Story of We the People exhibit to learn about what protections we have against search and seizure!

For more on this topic, check out this episode of Your Democracy: What Are Your Constitutional Rights When Accused of a Crime?, an animated series from by our partners at WHYY and hosted by constitutional law expert Gloria J. Browne-Marshall.

MORE CIVIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Peer-to-Peer Scholar Exchanges

Peer-to-peer Scholar Exchanges give students the opportunity to discuss constitutional topics with a legal professional or constitutional scholar and their peers from around the country. Students can discuss constitutional topics in a smaller group setting, which helps promote deeper constitutional understanding and enhance civil discourse and discussion. Sessions are free and open to classes ranging from elementary school to college.

During the month of May, teachers can pick from any topic covered during the school year, and schedule a session any Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday of the month. Topics include:

Constitutional Conversations
Federalism and Separation of Powers
Bill of Rights
First Amendment: Speech
First Amendment: Religion
Second Amendment
Fourth Amendment
14th Amendment
Civil Rights Movement
Electoral College
19th Amendment
Reconstruction Amendments
The Constitutional Convention
Voting Rights Amendments
Landmark Court Cases

For Educators

The Constitution as Amended: Article V and a Walking Tour of America's 27 Constitutional Amendments

Wednesday, May 17 | 6:30 p.m. ET

Join us for our final monthly professional learning workshop in the 2022-2023 school year. During this session, we will be joined by Bruce Murphy, the Fred Morgan Kirby Professor of Civil Rights at Lafayette College. Participants will explore the amendment process, as outlined in Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Starting with why the process was included in the Constitution in the first place, we will examine the 27 times the Constitution has been changed and determine the circumstances necessary to add a new amendment.

More From the National Constitution Center

Joan Biskupic on "Nine Black Robes"

Last year's Supreme Court term was one of the most significant in recent history with landmark decisions and cases about abortion, guns, religious liberty, the administrative state, and more. In this episode, veteran Supreme Court reporter and CNN Legal Analyst, Joan Biskupic, joins to unpack these recent developments and to discuss her new book, Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and its Historic Consequences. She and host Jeffrey Rosen have a reporter's chat and compare notes to discuss the evolution of the Court over the past 30 years, from the Reagan years through the Rehnquist Court, up to the Robert’s Court and what lies ahead.

LISTEN

The Shadow Docket Debate

Monday, May 22 | 12 p.m.

Free online

The Supreme Court’s “shadow docket”—cases in which the Court issues emergency orders and summary decisions without oral argument—has been subject to growing scrutiny. Supreme Court Reporter Adam Liptak of The New York Times and legal expert Jennifer Mascott of the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School join Stephen Vladeck of The University of Texas School of Law for a conversation on Vladeck’s new book, The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, exploring the history and role of the shadow docket and the current debates surrounding the Court’s emergency rulings. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Thank you for being part of our community of educators. If you have any questions, need assistance, or have feedback to share about the new website or any of these new educational offerings, we’d love to hear from you. Please email the education team at [email protected].

Connect with us

Interactive Constitution | Professional Development | Events Calendar | Online Learning Opportunities

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