Constitution Day 2012: Why it's important but what is more important

Today, September 17th, is Constitution Day. In 2004, Congress decreed in legislation that each educational institution that receives federal funds shall hold an educational program on the US Constitution on September 17th.

Creating a program that students from kindergarten to high school can benefit from is difficult, but it is worth the effort. The US Constitution is one of the most, if not the most, influential document ever written. When it was written it provided a framework for government and citizenship that was unique and transforming. The proof of its power can be seen because it still has relevance today.

I certainly support Constitution Day. Helping our students learn and remember the lessons of the Constitution is critically important to the health of our nation.

But there is something that is more important than a once a year observance of Constitution Day. Our schools need to ensure that our students learn and experience the values embedded in the Constitution. Schools help create active and involved citizens not by celebrating the Constitution once a year but by living the Constitution's ideals every day of the year.