Rep. Keller pre-files bill on "Constitutional Literacy"

The Alaska State Legislature has released the first set of pre-filed bills for the 2015 session, which begins next week.  Among them is one sponsored by Representative Wes Keller, whose district includes the Upper Valley.  Keller’s bill is called the “American Constitutional Literacy History Act.”  If passed, it would require all high school students to go through a curriculum based some of the founding documents of the United States, including Declaration of Independence, early state constitutions, the Federalist Papers, and the U.S. Constitution.

In the bill, Keller cites the report from the Citizen’s Advisory Task Force on Civics Education Policy, which he says “made a strong case for improving civics education.”  This is the second time Representative Keller has put forward a bill to require additional coursework on early American documents.  The previous attempt in 2011 did not reach the floor for a vote.  Keller will be the chairman of the House Education Committee when the legislative session begins in Juneau next week.  The second set of pre-filed bills will be released on Friday.