It’s Constitution Day! Time to Teach Obedience or History?

Friday, Sept. 16, is Constitution Day—a time when, too often, students are taught to worship rather than to think critically about this document. In his article, “It’s Constitution Day! Time to Teach Obedience or History?” Zinn Education Project co-director Bill Bigelow urges teachers to consider issues of race, class, wealth, and power when we teach the Constitution.

“A study of the Constitution should encourage students to think critically. Instead, mainstream resources, like the National Constitution Center’s ‘Which Founder Are You?’ quiz, prompt students to focus on superficial characteristics of the Founders, and ignore profound issues of race and class.”