23. ABA LAUNCHES NEW “CONVERSATIONS ON THE CONSTITUTION” WEB SITE TO MARK AND SUPPORT CONSTITUTION DAY 2005
Beginning in 2005, all educational institutions receiving federal funds were required to hold an educational program pertaining to the U.S. Constitution on Constitution Day – September 17 – each year. The authorizing legislation, sponsored by Sen. Robert Byrd, also required federal agencies to hold programs on Constitution Day. In summer 2005, the ABA joined with 11 outside organizations to provide resources to educational institutions and federal agencies to help them meet this mandate.
As part of this effort, the Division for Public Education developed a new online program, Conversations on the Constitution to encourage discussion and debate about the Constitution, focusing on significant concepts and clauses. The four topics rolled out in 2005 were separation of powers; the advice and consent of the Senate; establishment of religion; and unreasonable searches and seizures. Each topic included a set of “conversation starters” – brief, easily read text or images – accompanied by focus questions, and additional resources, as well as practical guidelines for organizing conversations in schools and the workplace. The Conversations Web site also featured interactive quizzes testing visitors’ knowledge of constitutional issues. In its first month, the site received nearly 16,000 page views, which then nearly doubled to 30,000 during November. In addition, the Division distributed more than 11,000 free pocket Constitutions to teachers in fall 2005.
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