For two years, the Constitutional Law Center has worked with educators in half a dozen counties throughout the state, offering free professional development, personalized assistance and classroom resources.
Through their inaugural conference, “A More Perfect Union: Civics Education for Today and Tomorrow” hosted by the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, the Center reached nearly every county in South Carolina.
“We’re trying to offer solutions to problems that are in every part of the state,” says Holly James (‘22), senior Constitutional Law Center fellow. “It felt like a great opportunity to have everybody sit down for collaborative conversations to address the same problems.”
The conference was designed to benefit K-12 educators primarily in social studies but was for all teachers as speakers talked about opportunities to overlap subject areas. James was intentional to choose speakers who shared similar experiences while bringing their unique perspectives.
“I know, as a law student, I learned differently from other students,” James says. “Picking educators that maybe have different approaches to similar problems was important because not every student learns the same, not every teacher teaches the same, but as long as you're hitting the end target, that’s what’s important.”
Speakers included Braden Wilson, MA, an 11-year teacher of a variety of courses for 7th –12th grade students who was named South Carolina Teacher of the Year in 2024; and Thea Tully, an eighth-grade social studies teacher of 30 years in Massachusetts who was named National Council for the Social Studies Middle Level Teacher of the Year in 2024.
Throughout the day, they covered technical topics like using one project to assess knowledge in multiple areas – efficiently navigating curriculum requirements and class time – as well as emphasizing concepts that rely on emotional intelligence, like classroom management and relationship building.
“Routines and procedures help students feel safe and secure,” said Ernie Lee, JD who worked in law for 20 years before becoming a teacher in 2010 whose aptitude for teaching was recognized in 2016 when he was named Georgia Teacher of the Year. “Our students are individuals, and they deserve to be treated as such... Strong relationships help develop meaningful rapport and help make difficult conversations easier.”
According to a National Education Association survey, more than half of respondents said they are more likely to leave or retire from education sooner than planned. This conference gave educators the opportunity to share their experiences dealing with difficult topics and offering support for educators who might be struggling.
The importance of public-school teachers “can’t be overstated,” said Derek Black professor of law and director of the Center, speaking about the historic link between expanding access to public education and voting rights. “Not everyone always had access to education, not everyone always had access to the ballot, but as we saw our democracy grow and become more inclusive, our public schools have always been part of that.”