As a fourth grade teacher, I taught my kids a little about the Constitution and how it creates a balance of power between the three branches of government.

With different children in different roles — one the President, one the Congress and one the Supreme Court — I guided them through how an imaginary bill that would make their recess longer could become law (or not, if one of the branches opposed it). Through this activity, they could see how the Founding Fathers were intent on making sure the country didn’t end up with a king.

The kids loved the role-play and saw how complicated things could get even in this simplified activity, which assumed lawmakers respected the Constitution and played by the rules. Teaching this lesson today would be much trickier, as one party in Congress ignores the Constitution and the laws passed that protect Americans’ democratic right to influence their government’s decisions. But plain as day, 9- and 10-year-olds would see the danger to our freedoms and our government. Will we?

Sam Saltonstall
Brunswick