Is it Time for a Constitutional Convention? - Center for Inspired Teaching

By Jenna Fournel

Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like the rules you were subject to were unjust and you wanted to change them?

This is the question that Peniel Ouabo, a junior at the National Cathedral School in Washington, DC used to open Center for Inspired Teaching’s virtual Speak Truth discussion on May 21. Participants shared examples, all of which came from their experiences in school:

In one school students were expected to walk silently in lines in the hallways, and if they violated this rule they were sent back to their starting place to redo the walk again. This was described as “an abuse of power and really excessive.”
Another school didn’t allow dual enrollment during the school day, which limited opportunities. On a related note, limits to who can get into AP classes were cited as being based on rules that are often opaque to students.
Dress codes at one school were described as a “suppression of creativity for a lot of people because you can’t always wear what you want.”

The May 21st Speak Truth session was led by Peniel Ouabo, a Junior at the National Cathedral School in Washington, DC.

From these initial observations students expanded their thinking to larger injustices faced by the nation as a whole and the means by which citizens can or cannot enact change. The focus of the conversation was whether or not a Constitutional Convention should be held to amend the Constitution. Peniel guided the group through a thoughtful exploration of the many considerations involved in pursuing such an action.

Some questions and responses included:

Is it time to change the Constitution?

“I think people are scared to change it because they fear that they are taking away the integrity or soul of America if they change [the Constitution],” said Ambar Condori-Boughton (Duke Ellington School of the Arts). “But if we look to other countries… they amend their laws a lot more than we do. In Norway they’ve amended their Constitution 148 times and the U.S. has only done it 27 times. Think about it as evolving America rather than taking away.”

Ra’Mya Davis (Thurgood Marshall Academy) noted that the context in which the original document was created should be kept front of mind. “Remember the Constitution was originally written during the slavery era.”

Sophia Ungar (School Without Walls) also pointed to history when considering the question. “The Constitution was designed to separate people from power. It was created at a time in which transportation was very different, so a unified country was less likely. Also, the federal government was feared and not held responsible for health care, regulations, or a lot of the functions it now does . . .We don’t know how much can get amended. Amending could go in other directions. The Constitution has a lot of problems, but stability is also important, and it provides stability, so opening it up could weaken that.”

“I feel like a Constitutional Convention is for long-term solutions and long-standing issues needing a series of steps to solve,” observed Ishaan Barrett (The Maret School). “It would be worth noting that just because we choose to amend the Constitution does not mean we’d have a suddenly unified America.”

“I think an important problem is also enforcing some of the things of the Constitution,” added Maria Bizaki (The Maret School). “[Consider] the 19th Amendment, even though women have the right to vote there is still inequality facing women in society. It’s challenging to get the Constitution to really balance that power between the people and the government.”

Do you believe it is wrong that as citizens of America we cannot directly change the laws that govern our societies?

“I think that the ‘by the people for the people’ idea was an idea in the first place to avoid an overpowering government that the founding fathers were so scared of,” responded Lola Rogin (DC International). “However, I think that is a really good example of what is able to be elaborated on in the Constitution.”

“It’s important to remember that there are local and state elections and at the local and state level there are laws on the ballot,” added Emma Lawrence (The Ohio State University / Banneker). “It is a lot easier to go to your city hall and say ‘I want this to change.’ While it is important to talk about a Constitutional Convention it might even be more important to focus on what you can do at local level and not enough people think about that.”

What alternatives can we propose to enact REAL political change (if not conventions or referenda)?

“People voting in their local governments and putting high importance on that piece allows more people to be represented effectively at a local level,” said Eleanor Boomhower (National Cathedral School). “I think this can create more change than at a state or Federal level if enough people believe in something.”

How much should we look to the government to solve our problems? Especially if we have to go to the same avenues that caused our problems to fix them?

Ishaan replied with something many others echoed and agreed with. “I think the most important and influential power anyone has is to stay educated and make local choices about things that matter to them. A lot of blame is placed on Capitol Hill for problems that states can solve. It starts with staying educated.”

After listening to students discuss the power of the government and the people to create change, one feels hopeful for a future in which these brilliant minds might make that possible. But they were also realistic about the many ways in which those in power are currently letting them down.

Speak Truth is a space where students wrestle with both current realities and future plans, tapping into the purpose, persistence, and action at the core of Inspired Teaching. It’s always eye-opening to be present for their thinking and we hope you can join us for their last session on June 4 at 6 p.m. ET.

Micaiah Anderson

Community Outreach Specialist

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Micaiah is responsible for program promotion and outreach support for Inspired Teaching events and workshops. Micaiah has a passion for collaborating with community members to build-power and connect. She is an educator with a heart for youth and has experience supporting students fight injustices within their schools and communities. She has a BA in Political Science from, the real HU, Hampton University & anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Policy Transformation from Georgetown University.

AUTONOMY

"I want to have a say in what happens to me."

Autonomy is the need for independence; the ability to make choices, to create, to explore, and to express oneself freely; to have sufficient space, to move around, and to feel unrestricted with opportunities to exercise free will.

Brady Maiden

Outreach Coordinator

As the Outreach Coordinator, Brady helps maintain Inspired Teaching’s social media presence and supports the organization’s mission to connect with DC community leaders, educators, and parents. Brady has her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her BS in Political Science from Northern Arizona University. She is passionate about community, equity, and coalition building recognizing that learning and growing with the community at large is how we continue to be impactful.

What brings you joy in life?

I find joy in spending time with my friends and family and meeting new people. I like going to concerts and festivals, and finding new books to read.

The Learner’s Cycle, Wonder-Experiment-Learn, and the Teacher’s Cycle, Observe-Plan-Instigate, comprise Inspired Teaching’s approach to engaging students in inquiry-based learning.

When they are engaged in the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, students are immersed in learning. They take the lead in designing authentic learning experiences around their own interests and their school’s standards of learning. Each discovery leads to a new question which in turn leads to more wondering and more learning. In the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, Learn is not a destination or an endpoint; it is a deeper understanding, leading to a deeper wondering and new possibilities that create new entry points to further exploration. The cycle continues because what students have learned generates more wonderings that require more experiments that foster more learning – and on and on.

The Observe-Plan-Instigate Cycle is the work of an Inspired Teacher. While a student is expected to follow the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, the teacher joins them on the learning journey while following their own cycle of Observe-Plan-Instigate. This cycle ultimately serves to ensure an inquiry-based atmosphere is at play in the classroom.

Jaqueta Abbey

Teaching and Learning Specialist

Jaqueta is the Teaching and Learning Specialist for Inspired Teaching. In addition to her current role with Inspired Teaching, Jaqueta is a first-grade teaching assistant. Her background features a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences in the field of education, including working as an adjunct professor, teaching summer reading programs to children and adults, and tutoring children in the foster care system. Jaqueta earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

What brings you joy in life?

Creative self-expression! In addition to my passion for storytelling, I love dancing of all kinds. I've studied belly dance, bachata, and Brazilian Zouk among other styles. I also enjoy glass fusing, crocheting, photography, and cross stitching. These art forms allow me to express myself and build connections with other people at the same time. I think life would be a lot less vibrant without artists and storytellers!

Michelle Welk

Communication & Marketing Specialist

As Communications and Marketing Specialist, Michelle is responsible for finding and creating new ways to highlight Inspired Teaching and promote its programs in order to expand and deepen the organization's impact. Michelle has worked in communications in an array of settings, from creative agencies to state politics to national nonprofits. She has a BA in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and is passionate about education, access, and equity.

What brings you joy in life?

My son, the beach, making a persuasive argument and good food!

Max Peterson

Real World History Assistant Teacher

Max received his Bachelor’s degree in History and African American Studies from Boston University in May 2016. He has worked in museum curation at the Museum of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Max has worked with young people of varying ages from young children to young adults transitioning to college.

Feedback and Accountability

We grow through feedback and an understanding that the quality of our work is a reflection of what we are learning, but the shift to remote learning this spring disrupted a lot of the tools teachers were used to using to evaluate student growth. How might we do things differently this fall? Participants in this workshop will explore ways to bring meaningful assessment into the virtual and/or socially-distanced classroom and approaches to student feedback that strengthen motivation, and build relationships and achievement.