FORTVILLE — Marion County Magistrate Marie Kern recited “Constitution Day Poem” by Teri Delich, the last lines of which read, “Put your hands together, shout a hip-hip-hooray, for the framers of this law, on Constitution Day!”
The group of about 120 Fortville Elementary School fifth-graders responded with a resounding “hip-hip-hooray!”
Kern was one of more than 50 judicial officers from across the state speaking to Indiana students this week to commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the singing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryKern, a magistrate of Marion County Circuit Court’s Paternity Division, returned to Fortville Elementary Monday for the third year in a row to talk about the Constitution.
She discussed the country’s legislative, judicial and executive branches; and the Bill of Rights — the Constitution’s first 10 amendments — explaining they were written to ensure Americans’ rights as individuals would be protected.
Kern asked the students questions throughout her presentation and gave examples tailored for their age — like how a student couldn’t be accused again of stealing a pencil case after being found innocent. That limitation is part of the Fifth Amendment, often called “double jeopardy.” She expanded on the rights granted to those accused of crimes under the Constitution when one student pondered aloud what ramifications would result were he to be accused of raiding the school cafeteria.
“When you go out in your everyday life,” Kern told the fifth-graders before they headed back to their classrooms, “just know that the foundations upon which our government was established were done a very long time ago, and it’s there to protect your rights.”
After her presentation, Kern told the Daily Reporter she was impressed with the students’ interaction.
“They know so much more than we think they know,” she said. “They pick up so much from media and news and what their parents are saying and what have you. I just find that so interesting that they can be as tuned in as they are.”
Kern said she finds it important to interact with young people on topics like the Constitution because she’s noticed what she called “a degradation of overall respect for the government, for people, for the judicial system, for law enforcement.” Learning at an early age about one’s rights, duties and responsibilities can counteract that degradation, she added.
Kern said she got help preparing her presentation from links on the Indiana Supreme Court’s website that led her to information on the Constitution customized toward different age groups.
“Even for us as adults, I think we tend to forget the significance of these documents in terms of how they actually apply to us,” she said.
Nicole Privett, a fifth-grade teacher at Fortville Elementary School, said the presentation was a great introduction for the Constitution curriculum students will study in the next couple months.
“Anytime we can bring curriculum to life and apply it to the real world, it makes a big difference in their learning,” she said.
Every year, fifth-graders learn about the country’s framing documents like the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence along with what it means to be a good citizen and what their rights are, Privett continued.
“Those are all important for becoming a good citizen of our community,” she said.
Elijah Lemmon, a fifth-grader at Fortville Elementary School, said he was surprised to learn how many rules the country has.
“You don’t just think about that every day,” he said.
Those rules are important because they help keep order in the country, he continued.
“That keeps our country safe,” he said.
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The Constitution was written in Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. It is an important site in U.S. history: The Declaration of Independence was signed there, and George Washington received his commission as Commander of the Continental Army there is well. The building is now called Independence Hall.
Written in 1787, the Constitution was signed on Sept. 17. But it wasn’t until 1788 that it was ratified by the necessary nine states.
The U.S. Constitution was prepared in secret, behind locked doors that were guarded by sentries.
Some of the original framers and many delegates in the state ratifying conventions were very troubled that the original Constitution lacked a description of individual rights. In 1791, Americans added a list of rights to the Constitution. The first ten amendments became known as The Bill of Rights.
The original Constitution is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Source: National Constitution Center
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You can read the Constitution as it was originally presented in 1787 when you click on the online version of this story at www.greenfieldreporter.com
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Some fast and fascinating facts about the Constitution, Page A7
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