Schools gearing up for Constitution Week

Fayette County Public Schools will join other public schools across the nation by holding a variety of educational programs commemorating Constitution Week and Constitution Day.

Most Americans know that July 4 is our nation’s birthday, but far fewer Americans know that Sept. 17 is the birthday of our government, the date in 1787 on which delegates to the Philadelphia Convention completed and signed the U.S. Constitution.

In 1955, the Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned Congress to set aside Sept. 17-23 annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law Aug. 2, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Students throughout the Fayette County Public School System will mark the historic day and week with a variety of lessons and activities. Examples include broadcasts about the Constitution during morning announcements, focusing on various Constitutional Amendments and how they relate to daily life, discussing what the Constitution is and comparing it to class rules, studying the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution, and participating in the annual Constitution Day Poster Contest where students design a poster about what the Constitution means to them.

More information about Constitution Week activities can be obtained by contacting the local schools.