Common Core and the Bill of Rights

IMAGE: glynholton.com 

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.

Written by James Madison in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties, the Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power.

The Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, strongly influenced Madison.

One of the many points of contention between Federalists and Anti-Federalists was the Constitution’s lack of a bill of rights that would place specific limits on government power. Federalists argued that the Constitution did not need a bill of rights, because the people and the states kept any powers not given to the federal government. Anti-Federalists held that a bill of rights was necessary to safeguard individual liberty.

Source: http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/ 

I recently came across the following article:

"A student in Bryant School District in Arkansas brought home a worksheet that presented her with a scenario that referred to the Bill of Rights as “outdated” and that as part of a special committee she would need to throw out two of the Amendments."

Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/359714#ixzz2ho7btVxO 


My 12th Grade Stepdaughter came home recently with a similar assignment. Her "amendment" was more like a suggestion for a law-so we asked her what she knew about  the amendments & the constitution. As a high school senior she could not tell us one single amendment or how many there were. I am telling this story not to embarrass her-but to make a point that many high school seniors cannot wrap their heads around why the constitution was even written, let alone tell you what the amendments are, how many of them there are, nor understand their contents.

When I see assignments like this (see link below) coming home, from 6th grade on up, not only does it give me pause-but also a chill down my spine.

Worksheets Ask Students to Remove Part of the Bill of Rights

Our children are our future. Parents, teachers, teach them actual History-they way it actually was. Not history the way it is being manipulated and PC'd to death.

Students: Take responsibility for your own learning and read. Learn about the founding of your country and why it is so important that we preserve the rights that so many have died for.

I've included some resources below to get you started. If you have additional resources, please list them in the comments area below this post.


Bill of Rights Institute

The Federalist Papers

TeachingAmericanHistory.org

The Heritage Foundation