The Constitutional Law Center invites teachers and students to engage in meaningful conversations about how our Constitution impacts the country’s past, present, and future. Our upcoming workshop will provide educators with key insights and strategies to build their confidence in exposing students to the core principles that define our democracy and the rule of law: separation of powers, federalism, and the protection of individual rights. Each session of the workshop will include small-group discussions and hands-on activities that teachers can duplicate in their own classrooms.
Session 1: Shared Powers and Constitutional Limits
The Structure of the U.S. Government The broad language in the U.S. Constitution has long made it challenging to define the precise scope of each branch of government’s powers. This language has allowed Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court—for good or bad—to test the boundaries of their authority. This session explores early Supreme Court cases that put our system of checks and balances to the test. We will examine the lasting influence of these landmark decisions and how they continue to structure our current constitutional balance of power.
Session 2: The Promise and Disappointments of Equality for All
The concepts of liberty and justice for all serve as focal points for our Constitution, but the application of these ideas have evolved throughout our nation’s history. The Supreme Court has played an essential role in that evolution, relying on the Equal Protection Clause to address a variety of inequalities, from race and sex to nationality and disability. This session examines the Court’s landmark decisions and failures, asking educators to consider the larger question of whether the Court has the capacity to serve as a catalyst for social change.
Session 3: A More Perfect Union?
The tension between preserving states’ rights and maintaining a strong central government has been a centerpiece of national controversy since the nation’s founding. The Constitution represents a series of compromises between these competing positions. Some of those compromises are well-defined, whereas others are more ambiguous, allowing our concept of federalism to evolve with developments in the economy, technology, and more. This session offers teachers a better understanding of the current lines between state and federal power, examining both founding-era documents and major Supreme Court cases that adapted the Constitution to changing times.