Bar association plans public reading of Constitution
Washington County Bar Association will celebrate Constitution Day at noon Sept. 17 with its fourth annual public reading of the entire U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights on the steps of Washington County Courthouse
A 6-foot replica of the Constitution will be on display, and observers, passersby and readers will have the opportunity to “sign” the document, just as the original 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention did 232 years prior on Sept. 17, 1787.
To increase youth participation, fourth-grade students from John F. Kennedy Catholic School will kick off the event by singing the preamble.
In addition, the bar association’s charitable foundation will provide 20 pocket-sized Constitutions – while supplies last – to any school that commits to schedule readings of the Constitution by students, teachers and/or staff during the school day on Sept. 17. The program is offered to assist schools with Constitution Day programs, an annual requirement for schools that receive federal funding.
During the event at the courthouse, organizers request that no partisan political campaign materials be distributed or displayed, including handbills, signs, posters, buttons/pins, articles of clothing or other such visible items. The reading may be recorded and made available on the internet; therefore, those who had been scheduled to read will not be permitted to do so if in violation of this request.
Constitution Day is a federal observance commemorating the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution. The bar association created the local event to help promote justice and respect for the law and improve public understanding of the legal system.
Readers and schools should register online at www.washcobar.org (“4th Annual ‘Read the Constitution!’ Day” link listed in Upcoming Events). For more information about this Constitution Day activity or other public education programs provided by the Bar Association, contact WCBA Executive Director Kathy Sabol by email at kathy@washcobar.org or at 724-225-6710.