In preparation for Teach Truth on Constitution Day in 2025, a consortium of groups produced an instruction video for teachers called Teach Truth on Constitution Day Planning Session for Educators — Our Freedoms, Our Futures. The video opened with remarks from free speech activitist Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines). Representatives from the NEA, the American Constitution Society, Zinn Education Project, and AFT’s Share My Lesson shared examples of teaching resources on the Constitution.
We offer here the clip of Tinker’s remarks and a transcript below.
Mary Beth Tinker: Hello, and thank you so much. Hello to all the teachers out there. I am so glad to be part of this project that will give you some ideas for how to teach the Constitution not just on Constitution Day, but all year long.
What a time it is, “mighty times,” as one student told me recently. Sometimes in history are just a little more intense, as we know, and this is certainly one of those times. But we know that there have been difficult times before in history, and challenging times. And we should never sugarcoat that. We should always learn the truth of our history, because, for one thing, it can help us to understand the current times, and even help us manage our times.
We are connected to those who have fought for truth and fairness, not only through history, but also to those now who are speaking up and working for fairness and for democracy in our country and also in the world. I’m so glad to connect with all of you teachers. I’ve always felt a kinship with teachers, maybe because I’m a pediatric nurse. I’ve found in my work that knowing their rights and using them is actually good for the health of students. It’s good for their physical health, their social health, [their] psychological health, and even their spiritual health. So that’s another way that we are connected, in the way that we advocate together for the well-being of young people and for a better world.
When I was 13 years old, in 8th grade in 1965, along with other students, I used my constitutional rights to speak up for peace in Vietnam by wearing a black armband to school. Yes, it was controversial, and we were suspended. But the American Civil Liberties Union took our case to court, winning a Supreme Court victory, saying that neither students nor teachers leave their constitutional right to expression at the schoolhouse gate. The Court also said that schools should not be enclaves of totalitarianism, and that students are persons under our Constitution. And the Court said that without controversy, we don’t have education or democracy.
The ruling built on other cases, especially one from the 1964 Freedom Summer campaign. The case is called Burnside v. Byars. Yes, the court said there would be limits to rights, but the court affirmed the importance of student and teacher voices.
Today, these voices are especially important. When students and teachers like you, and me also, feel sometimes discouraged, we need to know that knowing our rights and using them is not only good for ourselves, but for our whole society. What I’ve found is that it’s also a good way of life. Now, I continue to use my rights to speak up about all the issues that I care about, and that affect me. Yes, those issues can be controversial. But as I tell students, the way to deal with controversy is not to censor things but to speak about things with respect for each other.
We are all needed in this moment to help shape the future towards a more equitable and peaceful world of true democracy, not just for ourselves, but for the whole planet. It is challenging, but in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “We must do that which we think we cannot.” And in the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “We must keep on keeping on.” So, here’s to youth and to all of you teachers who inspire and encourage youth to know and use their constitutional rights this Constitution Day. I’m looking forward to joining with all of you and to keep on keeping on. Thank you.
Studying the Constitution is essential — especially now, as constitutional rights are increasingly under attack. We offer activities to teach truthfully about the Constitution on Constitition Day and all year long.
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