Retired teacher Keith Broaders is a student of American history with a passion for the U.S. Constitution.
A passion, he says, equal to the one he has for the restoration of the republic.
“The Founding Fathers were thoughtful and extremely inspiring men,” he said.
Schools that take federal money are required by law to mark National Constitution Day on Sept. 17.
“One of the things we teach is the basic structure of government,” said Eric Harworth, head of the social-studies program at Pacific High School in San Bernardino.
“For those of us teaching using the standard, we may not think about it on a particular day, but in geography, world and U.S. history, we cover the Constitution,” Harworth said.
Harworth said ninth-graders learn what the three branches of government are. By 10th grade, students are learning what those branches do and how they’ve worked together throughout history.
“It’s like building blocks,” he said.
In observance of National Constitution Day, which was Thursday, Broaders is spearheading a campaign to familiarize the community with the U.S. Constitution.
“I’m asking the community – anyone who loves America – to put the Constitution in the hands of school kids,” said Broaders, a Yucaipa resident who wants to involve schools, community organizations and businesses in rewarding students who memorize the document’s Preamble.
Copies of the Constitution have already been distributed by the nonprofit National Center for Constitutional Studies to high school seniors in San Bernardino, Redlands and Yucaipa, with plans to distribute in Beaumont, Moreno Valley and Hemet, Broaders said.
He would like to create scholarships for constitutional scholars, he says.
“I’m hoping individuals and service organizations who want to participate could call me to work on this project.”
