NationStates Jolt Archive

Today is the day before Constitution Day and in the United States public schools are federally mandated to teach children about the constitution. This is all fine and dandy except for one thing: Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
That's right, the federal government cannot do things that the Constitution doesn't say they can do. Including Education.
Now that's not to say that they haven't broken this rule, they mandate equality amongst minorities. Although this is sort of in the Constitution.

Could someone please tell me, how does learning about the Constitution help minorities?

"Hey man, let's go shoot up that _____-colored guy!"

"No way man, that's against the ____ Amendment!"

That's right, the federal government cannot do things that the Constitution doesn't say they can do. Including Education.
So I take it you oppose the federal Department of Education then? Same here

Considering some of the ways that the Federal government has overstepped their bounds (e.g. the Controlled Substances Act) I would say this one is pretty minor.

The same way anyone benifits from learning about the constitution, it lets them know what powers the gov. has so they can make points like yours and can't be cheated out of their rights, i.e. states can't go Jim Crow, by not teaching people about their rights, such as those dealing with voteing.

Today is the day before Constitution Day and in the United States public schools are federally mandated to teach children about the constitution. This is all fine and dandy except for one thing: Amendment X

That's right, the federal government cannot do things that the Constitution doesn't say they can do. Including Education.


True... except the feds are allowed to place conditions on grant-in-aid programs. I.e. if your school district wants its yearly dosage of federal funding, then you must teach the constitution in grades K-12. Though i was unable to locate the act which requires this teaching, i'd assume that as opposed to a mandate, it's a condition on funding.

This is rather well-accepted control, which does not even touch on the power of Congress to regulate state actions via the commerce clause, taxing power, war powers, and foreign affairs powers. Though many (myself included) may not like how far some of these concepts have been stretched to grant the feds regulatory control, they're pretty much here to stay.

Today is the day before Constitution Day and in the United States public schools are federally mandated to teach children about the constitution. This is all fine and dandy except for one thing: Amendment X

That's right, the federal government cannot do things that the Constitution doesn't say they can do. Including Education.
Now that's not to say that they haven't broken this rule, they mandate equality amongst minorities. Although this is sort of in the Constitution.

This is the necessary and proper clause in action. That's all they need to impose their will on the states; that is combined with competitive federalism to give the national government more power.

Of course, this is for the better. States are an inefficent anachronism anyway.

Today is the day before Constitution Day and in the United States public schools are federally mandated to teach children about the constitution. This is all fine and dandy except for one thing: Amendment X

That's right, the federal government cannot do things that the Constitution doesn't say they can do. Including Education.
Now that's not to say that they haven't broken this rule, they mandate equality amongst minorities. Although this is sort of in the Constitution.

Could someone please tell me, how does learning about the Constitution help minorities?

1. That isn't what the 10th Amendment means. Nor has SCOTUS ever held it to mean that.

2. Congress has power over interstate commerce and through the necessary and proper clause. Also, the power of the pursestrings.

3. Consider the 14th Amendment.

Really, I don't have the time to teach Con Law from ground zero, but this is silly stuff.

"Hey man, let's go shoot up that _____-colored guy!"

"No way man, that's against the ____ Amendment!"
really? thought it was something more like.

Cop #1: "we are arresting your [insert racial slurr here] Ass!"
Cop #2: "Damnit, now we can't because you just called him a [insert racial slurr here] they'll accuse you of restricting his basic human rights outlined and defended by the Constitution simply because he is a [insert racial slurr here] and not because he broke any of the laws set down by our Duely appointed and elected officials."
Cop #1: really? S#!t... Guess we gotta let you go now...