Constitution Day Events Begin Monday Morning

On Monday, Smith will host its annual Constitution Day events, beginning with a lecture given by journalist Emily Bazelon. The lecture, entitled “Let’s Start Drama: Bullying and the First Amendment,” will discuss the United States Constitution and how it applies to modern day challenges. 

Constitution Day has been recognized at the college for years as a celebration of the signing of the Constitution in 1787, but it has expanded in scope in recent years. 

“At the time the Constitution was drafted, it certainly did not include women [or] a wide range of minorities,” said Smith Democrats member Lilli Siegel ’14. “While it’s important to celebrate Constitution Day as an event, it’s even more important to focus on how ‘we the people’ has changed, and the challenges we still face to make sure everyone is integrated fairly.” 

Bazelon worked as an editor and writer at Legal Affair Magazine before working as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She currently works for Slate magazine, and is a senior research fellow at Yale Law School. Bazelon has written a number of articles on bullying and cyberbullying for Slate, including a widely recognized three-part series on the death of Phoebe Prince, a South Hadley teenager who committed suicide in 2010 as a result of cyberbullying. Bazelon’s lecture will cover the legal limits of the First Amendment as it relates to bullying. 

Smith clubs are also taking part in the festivities. The Smith Republicans are hosting a tabling event on Chapin Lawn. 

“The day is actually Constitution and Citizenship Day, which commemorates the formation and signing of the Constitution on Sep. 17, 1787, and recognizes all who are born in the United States or, by naturalization, have become citizens,” said Julianne Roseman ’13, president of the Smith College Republicans. Students who visit the table will be able to test their Constitutional knowledge and learn trivia, and can pick up free pocket-sized copies of the Constitution. 

Tabling with Constitution-themed activities will be held on Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bazelon’s lecture is scheduled for Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Neilson Browsing Room.