Q. What is the Constitutional Rights Foundation National Teach-In?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) will sponsor a national teach-in for
at least 100 classes of high school students in coordination with National
Youth Service Day, April 16-18, 2004. The teach-in will focus on curricular
units devoted to core American issues: security, liberty, justice, and equality.
Q. Who is the Constitutional Rights Foundation?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) and the Constitutional Rights
Foundation Chicago (CRFC) are non-profit, non-partisan organizations dedicated
to educating America's young people about the importance of civic participation
in a democratic society. CRF and CRFC are national leaders in the design and
implementation of quality law-related education (LRE) programs for elementary
and secondary school students and their teachers, and they are partners in
Youth for Justice. CRF was established in 1962 and is based in Los Angeles,
California. CRFC was founded in 1974 in Chicago, Illinois as part of CRF and
established itself as an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 1990.
Q. What is National Youth Service Day?
Sponsored by Youth Service America and supported by the White House Office of
U.S. Freedom Corps, National Youth Service Day is the largest service event in
the world. For the past 14 years, it has helped millions of young Americans
identify and address the needs of their communities through volunteer
activities. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
of the U.S. Department of Justice is a national supporter.
Q. What is Youth for Justice?
Youth for Justice is the national coordinated law-related education program
supported by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the
United States Department of Justice and is a collaboration of the American Bar
Association, the Center for Civic Education, the Constitutional Rights
Foundation, the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, and Street Law, Inc. Youth for
Justice provides national leadership for sustainable, high quality LRE programs
for at-risk youth and their communities in cooperation with its national
network of State LRE Centers.
Q. How do my students participate?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation will post eight lessons devoted to
liberty, security, justice, and equality for use by registered classes.
Participating students agree to teach an issue using these lessons to at least
one class of peers and/or younger students as part of National Youth Service
Day. Classes also agree to write about their experiences to their
Representatives and Senators in Congress and file a written report to CRF.
Q. What resources will my class receive?
CRF will award a mini-grant of $250 to the first 100 classes nationwide that
register. All participating classes will be listed on the
National Teach-In web site [www.crfc.org/yfjteach-in2004.html]
, along with selected reports and photos.