Surveys have told us that 40% of Americans would restrict musical performances that might offend others, 50% feel that the press should not pressure government officials about touchy international matters, 68% believe that the pursuit of happiness is a Constitutionally-protected right, and while only 25% can name two First Amendment freedoms, more than half can identify two members of the Simpson family. Young people are part of these same trends, and the Annette Strauss Institute at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Young Lawyers Association continue to look for new ways to teach and share our Constitutional principles.
The Turning Points project introduced young people to the Nation of Questions they inherited with a video collection of dramatizations for high school students and teachers that illustrates major Constitutional questions and encourages class discussion and debate. The project aims to improve civil argument, build comfort and tolerance for diverse opinions, improve Constitutional knowledge, and support our democratic values.