By Alan Lytle
Lexington, KY – The event, sponsored by the Scripps Howard First Amendment Center's Project Citizen, highlights the unique aspects of the oldest and shortest written constitution in the world. Students got a chance to debate, draft legislation, and even participate in a mock election. Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson says he loves getting a chance to teach youngsters about the legislative process.
"You know, in the Constitution, one of the reason's it's still around over two hundred years later is that the framers put in an ability to amend it. And we've had what, twenty-seven amendments over the years and we've had other amendments that have been proposed. Essentially all of those come from Congress. Well, sometimes Congress isn't always responsive. So there's another avenue. The states can have a convention and amend the Constitution."
Congress passed legislation creating U-S Constitution Day in 2004 in order to make students more aware of their government and how the Constitution still applies to their lives. Federal legislation authored by the late Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia requires that on Constitution Day, schools receiving federal funds present a program on the Constitution.