Bill of Rights Institute

{{Short description|Nonprofit organization in the U.S.}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Bill of Rights Institute

| image = Bill of Rights Institute logo

| type = Nonprofit

| founded_date = {{Start date|1999|09}}

| tax_id = 48-0891418

| registration_id =

| founder = Charles G. Koch and the
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation

| location = 1310 North Courthouse Road
Arlington, Virginia 22203

| coordinates = {{Coord|38.8720|-77.1036|display=inline,title}}

| origins =

| key_people = President
· David Bobb
Board of Directors
· Mark Humphrey
· Ryan Stowers
· Todd Zywicki

| area_served = United States

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| website = {{Official URL}}

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The Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) is a nonprofit educational organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that develops educational resources on American history and government, provides professional development opportunities to teachers, and runs student programs and scholarship contests. It has been described as promoting a conservative view of the United States Constitution.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/08/30/covert-operations|title=Covert Operations|magazine=The New Yorker|date=August 30, 2010|first=Jane|last=Mayer}}

History

BRI was founded in September 1999 by industrialist Charles Koch and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. BRI's first president, Victoria Hughes, was a teacher who had also held a number of executive roles in other non-profit organizations.{{cite web|title=Members and Organizations – Victoria Hughes |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/p/io/unesco/members/48880.htm |publisher=U.S. Department of State |accessdate=December 22, 2011}} Hughes led the organization for a decade until her departure, after which Tony Woodlief filled her position as president. David Bobb, a former Hillsdale College professor and head of its Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship, became BRI's president in December 2013.{{cite web|title=Bobb leaves Kirby |url=http://www.hillsdalecollegian.com/2013/12/bobb-leaves-kirby/ |date= December 5, 2013 |accessdate=April 29, 2015}}

Koch has explained that he became concerned with education in the field of constitutional law after he saw that many high school teachers had inadequate resources to develop educational materials on the principles, institutions, and ideas upon which the United States was founded.{{cite news|last1=Ball|first1=Billy|title=U.S. History According to Charles Koch: The conservative billionaire could be teaching your kids|url=http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/us-history-according-to-charles-koch-the-conservative-billionaire-could-be-teaching-your-kids/Content?oid=3344870|accessdate=August 22, 2014|publisher=Indy Week|date=February 27, 2013}}

Activities

=Professional development=

BRI runs educational programs for teachers around the country.{{cite web|author=Provider: The Bill of Rights Institute |url=http://www.learnnc.org/pddir/borinstitute |title=The Bill of Rights Institute |publisher=Learnnc.org |date=November 13, 2008 |accessdate=November 12, 2011}} BRI conducted 64 constitutional seminars in the 2010–2011 school year, often held at historic sites such as George Washington's Mount Vernon or James Madison's Montpelier. Seminars include instruction from a university professor and training by a BRI master teacher. BRI professors include BRI board member and Professor of Law at George Mason University Todd Zywicki; author and professor of public policy at Pepperdine University Dr. Gordon Lloyd; University of Texas School of Law and Professor Dr. H.W. Perry Jr.{{cite web|title=Profile – H. W. Perry Jr|url=http://www.utexas.edu/law/faculty/hperry/|publisher=University of Texas School of Law|accessdate=December 22, 2011}} BRI says it has reached over 22,000 teachers through professional development seminars.

=Online educational resources=

In August 2014, Bill of Rights Institute launched Documents of Freedom, a free digital course on history, government, and economics. The course builds on excerpts from over 100 primary sources, including the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers, presidential speeches, Supreme Court cases, and the Founding documents; and it offers an extensive set of original essays, focusing on principles such as federalism, separation of powers, limited government, checks and balances, republican government, consent of the governed, natural rights, rule of law, and due process, as well as virtues like self-governance, humility, integrity, justice, perseverance, respect, contribution, and responsibility.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/08/25/new-free-online-civics-course-from-the-bill-of-rights-institute-at-documents-of-freedom/|title=New free online civics course from the Bill of Rights Institute, at Documents of Freedom|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

=Student programs=

== Essay contest ==

In 2006, BRI began a high school essay contest which asks students to reflect on civic values.{{cite news|last1=Vargas|first1=Theresa|title=Essay Contest Draws Students' Thoughts on American Values|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/10/AR2009031004145.html|accessdate=November 6, 2014|newspaper=Washington Post|date=March 12, 2009}} Individuals who have taken part in the awards weekend include Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor{{cite web |url=http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/community/107051618.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906152422/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/community/107051618.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 6, 2012 |title=Being an American Essay Contest deadline approaches – Auburn Reporter |publisher=Pnwlocalnews.com |date=November 10, 2010 |accessdate=November 12, 2011 }} and Clarence Thomas,{{cite web|last=Liptak |first=Adam |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/us/14bar.html |title=Sidebar – Reticent Justice Opens Up to a Group of Students |work=The New York Times |date=April 13, 2009 |accessdate=November 12, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/284989-1 |title=Justice Thomas on National Identity and Citizenship – C-SPAN Video Library |publisher=C-spanvideo.org |date=March 31, 2009 |accessdate=November 12, 2011}} journalist John Stossel,{{cite web |url=http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/National_News/JUAN_WILLIAMS_AND_JOHN_STOSSEL_SUPPORT_HIGH_SCHOOL_ESSAY_CONTEST_ON_BEING_AN_AMERICAN/36042 |title=Juan Williams And John Stossel Support High School Essay Contest On Being An American |publisher=TheCypressTimes |date=December 1, 2010 |accessdate=November 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009142903/http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/National_News/JUAN_WILLIAMS_AND_JOHN_STOSSEL_SUPPORT_HIGH_SCHOOL_ESSAY_CONTEST_ON_BEING_AN_AMERICAN/36042 |archivedate=October 9, 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.dvidshub.net/news/68688/daughter-lake-barkley-corps-employee-wins-top-honors-national-essay-contest |title=DVIDS – News – Daughter of Lake Barkley Corps employee wins top honors in National Essay Contest |publisher=Dvidshub.net |date=April 13, 2011 |accessdate=November 12, 2011}} journalist and political analyst Juan Williams,{{cite web|url=http://www.villagelife.com/news/oak-ridge-student-pens-winning-essay-goes-to-d-c/ |title=Oak Ridge student pens winning essay, goes to D.C. |publisher=Village Life |date=May 13, 2011 |accessdate=November 12, 2011}} Judge Andrew Napolitano, and NBA player Antawn Jamison.

== Constitutional Academy ==

Other student programs run by BRI include the Constitutional Academy, which provides students with a six-week study of the Constitution in Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url=http://articles.petoskeynews.com/2010-03-30/full-scholarships_24092746 |title=Scholarships available to attend Constitutional Academy – Petoskey News |publisher=Articles.petoskeynews.com |date=March 30, 2010 |accessdate=November 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811211852/http://articles.petoskeynews.com/2010-03-30/full-scholarships_24092746 |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://starinc.brinkster.net/blog/prep/?p=1127 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827215137/http://starinc.brinkster.net/blog/prep/?p=1127 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 27, 2011 |title=Constitutional Academy |publisher=Starinc.brinkster.net |date=January 14, 2010 |accessdate=November 12, 2011 }} In 2011 the Ford Motor Company Fund provided scholarships to eleven students to attend the Constitutional Academy.{{cite web|last=Suchyta|first=Sue|title=Constitutional Academy inspires student|url=http://downriversundaytimes.com/2011/09/17/constitutional-academy-inspires-student/|publisher=Dearborn Times-Herald|accessdate=December 22, 2011}}

== MyImpact Challenge ==

BRI hosts the MyImpact Challenge, a civic engagement contest open to U.S. citizens and U.S.-based young people who are between the ages of 13 and 19 and enrolled in middle or high school.{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Bill of Rights Institute highlights innovative Utah civics students |url=https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/bill-of-rights-institute-highlights-utah-civics-students/ |access-date=November 24, 2023 |website=ABC4 Utah |language=en-US}}

References

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