Teaching the Constitution is of utmost importance

Dear Editor:

Many parents of Delta County have asked this question: "Should we put more effort in teaching the meaning of our United States Constitution in our schools?" To me it is of utmost importance for the future of our country, our liberty and freedom to understand our Constitution.

Dennis Prager in a speech at the University of Denver said, "Our ignorance of it, has indeed become a national security issue. We have lost the why of what Americanism is." This is true especially since our judges, our lawyers, our police, our legislatures and all of our military either swear an oath to uphold it. An oath implies significant accountability to the people and providence for adhering to that oath. If we fail to understand the importance of keeping our promises and our oaths, it will indeed be a sad day for the school children of America.

All of elected officials make decisions about laws that either affect our liberty, or laws that further government control and excessively regulate property and what people earn. After interviewing many elected officials and candidates, to indicate if they had ever even read our Constitution, which they would take an oath to uphold, well over 50, as of this date, only three had ever read that document.

The history and future of our country starts and ends with an understanding that the purpose of our Constitution was to secure our liberty and the liberty of our posterity while limiting government power. Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." I have spent the last five years teaching about our Constitution in churches, in schools, in my home, the Boy Scouts and in any situation where anyone will listen. It has become very clear that most people, especially the youth, have a great hunger for the principles taught in this document.

There are plenty of locally informed people to step forward, including myself, to teach about our country's history and the miracle of our Constitution. This can be done within the school budget, if the school system will just let the parents and other qualified people get involved. It is clear that the parents of Delta County want this to happen, when some 1,440 signatures were gathered last year in less than two weeks, by parents wanting this to be taught in our schools. Are you ready to stand forward to make this happen? I am! If you are, then contact the school board and schools today. Let us do the right thing for our kids, our parents and our nation. Obtaining a valid understanding of our rich history will allow us to identify that which is not right and implement the miracle our founders' gave us to aid in making a right choice in regards to correct government. Let us bring back heroism by enriching our understanding and filling our minds with amazing stories and the magnificent sacrifice they made in our behalf. Fixing things starts with a basic understanding of the principles involved, and that begins in the schools and homes of our country.

Gary Barnett

Delta

• < Prev
• Next >