Today, we celebrate the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787—a document that was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention during that summer. It was founded upon the belief that our rights are endowed by God, and that the rights we possess as Americans are inalienable and come from God alone. 

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The signing of the Constitution did not come easily. The Revolutionary War had been won, but the newly formed nation was deeply divided. Its leaders were at odds with one another, struggling to reach an agreement on how this fragile new republic should be governed. Conflict and disagreement seemed to have no end, and the future of the nation hung in the balance. 

After much struggle, countless arguments, and mounting conflict, there seemed to be no clear path forward. It was during this tense and uncertain moment that Benjamin Franklin rose to offer an urgent warning and a heartfelt request to the Constitutional Convention: 

Mr. President: 

“The small progress we have made after 4 or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other — our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances. 

In this situation of this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. — Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance. 

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without [H]is notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without [H]is aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord build the House they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without [H]is concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest. 

I therefore beg leave to move — that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.” 

Such profound and wise words from Dr. Franklin, and thankfully after returning to prayer and appealing to our Lord, the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. Thanks be to God for Dr. Franklin and for the leaders today who are turning to God for the healing of our nation. 

Today we face many challenges when it comes to our Constitutional rights being upheld. We see legislators, the education system, the judicial system, many institutions, and organizations simply trampling on our rights.  

In Massachusetts recently, a bill was signed into law by a radical governor to allow abortion up to and after birth all while a group of women gleefully celebrated the ability to murder full-term babies. What happened to every person having the right to Life and Liberty as protected under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments? There are eleven total jurisdictions that do not have a statutory gestational age limit on abortion! Think of that. It is sickening! 

Let’s look at New Jersey whose governor, Mikie Sherrill signed a bill that criminalizes “interference” with “reproductive” or “gender affirming” care, a law that has serious implications for freedom of speech including prayer. The nebulous wording of the law leaves a wide berth for taking action against peaceful protesters and prayer outside of abortion clinics.  

Violations of the law could be punished by up to 18 months’ imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine. Imagine that….for peacefully exercising your First Amendment rights! 

Another blatant violation of Constitutional rights comes with a Catholic couple in Massachusetts whose daughter was removed by the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF). Do you know why? Because the couple refused to agree to use a male name and pronouns for their daughter. The Algonquin Regional High School, the couple states, socially transitioned their daughter without their consent. This is a violation of their Fourteenth Amendment rights, yet Massachusetts has upheld this girl’s removal from her parents with a restraining order against them.  

We have seen the establishment of Muslim communities and the institution of Sharia law in the United States! Sharia law and the U.S. Constitution are incompatible, yet this is being allowed to go on.  

These are just some of the examples we face regarding violations of the Constitution. In the recent IFA article series on Religious Freedom violations, we addressed how we ended up at this point. It is both a spiritual backsliding as well as and, in conjunction with a lack of knowledge and proper understanding of the U.S. Constitution.  

I had the pleasure of sitting down with a real-life woman of God, mother to two beautiful children, wife, marathon runner, cross country coach, and a phenomenal middle school teacher in the public education system at Lehighton Area School District. She is a symbol of hope for the future of our children in the education system. She teaches the truth about the Constitution, the founding of this nation and our Founding Fathers.  

Meet, Mrs. Erica Pagotto, Constitutional originalist and enthusiast. She has had a passion for the Constitution since she was in High School. She had intended to go into Constitutional Law, but decided against it so that she could raise her family. She found that being an educator would give her the ability to impart truth about the Constitution and our history to the younger generations while still being able to be there for her family.  

She took a professional development course through the Center For Civic Education and was then invited to be the Pennsylvania Leader for this organization and received training for this role. During the summer, she trains other teachers (from PA, NJ, DE, all the New England states) about the Constitution. Despite the Center for Civic Education being a liberal organization, Mrs. Pagotto, speaks and teaches the truth about our Christian foundation in this nation and Constitution from an originalist approach.  

Mrs. Pagatto shared that the PA curriculum is very broad which can be good in that she can actually teach the truth, but she did indicate that the success of the facts being conveyed largely depends on the individual teacher.  

We discussed the lack of truth and lack of detail in the history text books in the public education system. During my time as a school board director, I had the opportunity to review History textbooks and was shocked at the blatant misrepresentation of topics such as the “Separation of Church and State” as an example.  

It is such an encouragement to hear that we have teachers like Mrs. Pagotto, who go out of their way to ensure that the students receive the whole truth about our history including but not limited to: The Establishment Clause, the truth about issues such as the Great Awakenings, slavery, our Founding Fathers and the Founding documents, and so on. 

She even shared that an African American student thanked her for telling the whole story about slavery and how it was not limited to Africans, but has affected and crossed many ethnicities and countries since the beginning of time.  

She teaches her students about the profound importance of faith in the founding of our nation and among enslaved people. She shares about the history of the Gullah Bible with her students and helps them understand the roots of the spirituals—songs that carried messages of hope, faith, perseverance, and, in some cases, coded information about routes to freedom in the North. 

She also courageously teaches the difficult truth that some slave owners weaponized Scripture, twisting its words and using religion as a tool to control and oppress enslaved people. 

I applaud Mrs. Pagotto for her boldness and courage to teach the truth, even when that truth may be uncomfortable or difficult to hear. Our children deserve to learn history honestly—the good, the painful, and the complicated—and to understand how faith shaped the lives and struggles of the people who came before us. 

She expressed her excitement about teaching a course specifically focused on the United States Constitution, exploring the rights and freedoms established within our founding documents, and teaching students that our inalienable rights come from God. She is hopeful that by educating these eighth-grade students, they will not only understand the principles upon which our nation was founded, but also carry that knowledge with them into the future and stand courageously for the preservation of those rights. 

Mrs. Pagotto also has the incredible opportunity to teach about the Second Great Awakening—the religious revival that swept across the United States in the early nineteenth century and inspired many people to put their faith into action. The movement encouraged people to share God’s love within their communities, not simply through words, but through service and action. 

That spirit of faith in action contributed to the growth of schools and charitable institutions serving people who had previously been denied access to education and care. Efforts emerged to provide education for those who could not afford private tutors, as well as institutions and programs focused on mental health, rehabilitation, and education for people who were deaf or blind. 

What an extraordinary lesson for our young people: faith is not merely something we profess—it is something we live. When people are willing to put their faith into action, they can bring hope, compassion, education, and opportunity to those around them. That is the kind of history our students should understand, and the kind of legacy they should be inspired to carry forward. 

She challenges the narratives being shared online and educates the students in how to spot the lies being fed to them through the algorithms. She plans to address how Sharia law and socialism is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution.  

Mrs. Pagotto shared an alarming experience that her son is having in college in a course on the History of American Education. In the text book for this class, it actually states, that people who are privileged in America are: men, white people, and it named Christians specifically.  

Another example that was shared in the book is that “Romeo and Juliet” pushes heterosexual relationships. Her son responded in class that it is about family dynamics and status not about pushing heterosexual relationships. I applaud her son as well for being so bold.  

She shared the dynamic ways that she teaches and engages her students in the learning process. One example is that she holds a Simulated Congressional Hearing where the students pick a question about our founding or from the Constitution that interests them. 

The students are instructed to write a four-minute speech addressing a specific question, and then lawyers from the community come in to ask them questions about their speeches, giving the students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the material. In this exercise, the lawyers take on the role of Congress, while the students become the Constitutional experts. It is an engaging way to challenge the students to think critically, articulate their understanding, and defend what they have learned. 

Mrs. Pagotto has seen an incredible amount of excitement from the students during this exercise. Students who might normally take a lackluster approach to their education become engaged, enthusiastic, and eager to participate. What a powerful reminder that when young people are given the opportunity to take ownership of what they are learning, they can rise to the occasion in remarkable ways. 

For Constitution Day, she shared that the entire school participates in a school-wide celebration.  

The celebration reaches far beyond Social Studies. A science teacher teaches about the science involved in preserving the Constitution, including the roles that NASA and atmospheric scientists can play in preserving this historic document. ELA teachers incorporate reading assignments centered around the Constitution, allowing students to explore its words, principles, and historical significance. 

The Pennsylvania Bar Association also participates through its “I Signed the Constitution” program, providing large posters of the Constitution that students can sign. Students are also provided with their own pocket Constitution, giving them the opportunity to keep this foundational document with them and become familiar with its contents. 

Announcements are made throughout the school about Constitution Day, and lessons are incorporated into classrooms across the building, with a particular emphasis in Social Studies. Even the Art teacher gets involved, having students create artwork centered around the American flag. 

This is what it looks like when a school brings history to life. The Constitution is not confined to the pages of a textbook—it becomes something students can read, discuss, defend, sign, create art about, and carry with them. By involving the entire school community, these students are being given the opportunity to understand not only what the Constitution says, but why it matters and why preserving our constitutional freedoms is a responsibility that belongs to every generation. 

All educational institutions that receive federal funds are required by law to hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution on September 17th each year. This includes any school, school district, college or university that gets federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education.  

It is refreshing and quite encouraging to hear Mrs. Pagotto’s stories and her passion to share the truth about this nation with the younger generations. I am grateful that my son was one of her students. I pray for millions more just like her to stand on truth and not back down and that the children lay hold of the promises established in our Divinely ordered Constitution and especially the word of God.  

• Pray for more passionate truth tellers like Mrs. Pagotto to arise in our education system. 

• Pray that every American seeks to understand and grasp the absolute blessing that we have in our nation and our Constitution.  

• Pray that our legislators and governmental systems and every institution stops trying to take away our rights and freedoms and actually has a full understanding of the truth about them. 

• Pray that every battle over our Constitutional rights is won in favor of truth and righteousness. 

• Pray that our children lay hold of these truths and don’t back down when their God-given rights are being threatened. 

How are you praying about this issue? Share your scriptures and prayers in the comments below.

April Walker loves God and seeks to serve Him in all she does. She is a proud mom of a 20-year old son, a PA State Co-leader for IFA, a former School Board Director, an organizer for NDOP and ASHP events, a GOP Committee member for Carbon County, an Occupational Therapist, and a vocalist. She feels that writing for and working with IFA brings all her passions together. Photo Credit: eurobanks from Getty Images.