Democracy lives on Maxfield Avenue

photo: this is Rhode Island, so of course Office Coordinator Ashley Lima recognized both the Secretary of State and his senior advisor Rob Traverse when they walked into Gordon. She’d had them both when she was a student at East Providence High School and they were both social studies teachers there, and she was the one who put Gordon in touch with Amore’s office.

Thank you to Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, far right, for coming to campus today to talk with seventh grade about voting rights and access to the vote. 

It’s part of an extended study of the US Constitution in seventh grade, and sets the stage for the deep dive into voting rights that students will have in eighth grade.

Civil rights and justice are themes that are part of Gordon’s schoolwide curriculum every year, and this year there has been a particular focus on democracy, dissent and decisionmaking, in classrooms and in conversations with parents. See these lessons from this year at www.gordonschool.org/democracy

The next event in that series is May 1st, at 6:30, when author Cynthia Levinson and constitutional lawyer Sanford Levinson come to Gordon to lead a conversation based on their book, Fault Lines in the Constitution, a primer on how America’s founding document has shaped our history

The evening is open to parents, caregivers, interested students and the general public. Their book is written for middle-school-age students and is a fascinating adult read as well, but all are welcome, whether they’ve read the book or not.

Details and RSVP at www.gordonschool.org/levinson