🇺🇸 Constitution Day Launch Event
⚫ In Memory of Charlie Kirk
This coalition launch proceeded despite the tragic assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, demonstrating unwavering commitment to his legacy and mission.
In a powerful Constitution Day ceremony marked by both determination and tragedy, the U.S. Department of Education joined forces with over 40 national organizations to launch the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, vowing to restore patriotic education despite recent national challenges.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Standing together on the rain-soaked grounds of the nation’s capital, education leaders, policy experts, and patriotic organizations unveiled what may be the most ambitious civic education initiative in decades, as America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026.
The coalition, announced exactly 238 years after the signing of the Constitution, brings together diverse partners including the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, and Hillsdale College in an unprecedented effort to combat what organizers describe as a crisis in American civic literacy.
🚨 The Civic Education Crisis
Only 41% of Americans aged 18-29 are proud to be Americans
73% of Americans believe children aren’t receiving adequate U.S. history education
93% of Americans agree citizens don’t know enough about their history
99% of parents say they have the right to know what their children are being taught
Secretary Linda McMahon
U.S. Secretary of Education
“As we approach, I’m going to try to say this, the semi-quincentennial in 2026, we face a sobering reality. Civic knowledge, engagement, and constitutional literacy among our youth… I’m going to say it’s in decline. I almost can say it is absent and we have to really refocus on this.”
Secretary McMahon painted a stark picture of American civic education, revealing her dismay at visiting schools where the Pledge of Allegiance isn’t recited and students cannot name the three branches of government or explain the Bill of Rights.
“Why don’t these young people love America? Or why aren’t they proud to be Americans? It’s because they don’t know America. We haven’t taught them about America. They don’t know our history.”
Greg Sindelar
Interim President & CEO, America First Policy Institute
“To know America is to love her. And this is the real purpose of what this coalition is doing. It isn’t about some niche educational subject matter concern. It is about the future of the country.”
Sindelar emphasized that the initiative goes beyond textbooks and lesson plans, representing a commitment to “reigniting the fires of patriotism” and preparing a generation ready to defend freedom.
Turning Point USA: Continuing Charlie Kirk’s Legacy
Dr. Hutz Hertzberg
Chief Education Officer, Turning Point USA
In an emotional address that brought the tragedy of the previous week into sharp focus, Dr. Hertzberg honored the memory of assassinated founder Charlie Kirk while pledging to continue his mission.
“On September 10th, 2025, everything changed for us and nothing changed for us. When your founder and your chief executive officer is assassinated, really martyred for the things that he believed and taught and stood for, obviously that changes an organization, but it also has changed nothing in terms of the resolve, the commitment, the fortitude, the courage.”
Hertzberg revealed intimate details about Kirk’s final moments, sharing that Kirk spent his last flight reading the Bible and texting questions to his pastor, and that his final public discussion centered on explaining his Christian faith before being shot during a question about transgender issues.
“We’re not going to pull back. We’re going to fold the tents. We’re going to cower in fear. It was just the opposite. We’re doubling down. We’re tripling down.”
Dr. Larry Arnn
President, Hillsdale College
“The Latin word crisis translated means turning point. There’s a sign that we’re in a crisis because there’s a disagreement about the meaning of the Declaration of Independence today… If we are to recover ourselves, we’re going to lose our nation if we lose its central idea.”
Dr. Arnn framed the current moment as one of three great crises in American history, alongside the Revolution and Civil War, emphasizing that the only resolution comes through reading and understanding founding documents.
Press Conference Q&A Highlights
Q: How does the coalition plan to address reports of divisive ideologies on college campuses?
Erika Donalds (Co-Chair): “Unfortunately, our schools, especially our public schools, have been indoctrinating our children in radical ideology, including anti-Americanism… If our students truly understood the Constitution of the United States, they would never think to say that violence in response to speech would be okay.”
Q: How will the coalition promote open dialogue while maintaining civics education goals?
Dr. Arnn: “We have a speech code at Hillsdale College that’s 181 years old… you can say anything you want to if you can manage to say it in a civil and academic manner. An academic manner means an attempt to discover the truth.”
Coalition Programming & Resources
Teacher Summits: Providing educators with civic literacy resources and effective teaching methods
50-State Speaking Tour: College campus events promoting free speech and open debate
Educational Toolkits: Materials from PragerU, Founders Museum, Turning Point curriculum, and Hillsdale resources
Over 100 Events: Nationwide programming from Constitution Day 2025 through January 1, 2027
Fundamental Liberties College Speaker Series: Comprehensive programming agenda rolling out over the next year
Looking Forward: The coalition emerges at what organizers describe as a critical juncture for American democracy. With the nation’s 250th anniversary approaching and civic knowledge at historic lows, the partnership represents both a celebration of America’s founding principles and an urgent call to action.
As Secretary McMahon emphasized in her closing remarks, the goal extends far beyond the classroom: “We have to restore this love of patriotism. We have a president who takes the flag and hugs it. Let’s see if we can’t bring back that spirit of love and devotion to our country.”
The coalition’s work will continue throughout the remainder of 2025 and into America’s semiquincentennial year, with events planned in all 50 states and resources being made available to educators, parents, homeschool families, and community organizations nationwide.
Despite the shadow cast by recent tragic events, the coalition’s message remained clear: the work of civic education and patriotic renewal will continue with even greater determination, ensuring that future generations understand and cherish the principles that have guided the American republic for nearly two and a half centuries.
