Andrew Ausley, a homeschooled student from Niceville, Florida, won a $500 scholarship in December for the best essay on the topic, “Synergism Within the Bill of Rights.” The contest, open to all high school students in Okaloosa County, was organized by the Libertarian Party of Okaloosa County and the Advocates for Self Government to commemorate Bill of Rights Day, December 15.
The aim of the Advocates, a nonprofit educational organization, is to present the freedom philosophy to a broad cross-section of the public and to help people evaluate and embrace the ideals of individual freedom. The Libertarian Party stands for Constitutional government and opposes the initiation of violence as a means of achieving political or social goals.
On December 15, 1941–150 years after the signing of the Bill of Rights by our forefathers–Bill of Rights Day was designated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He proclaimed the holiday just one week after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor initiated the United States’ involvement in World War II. The Bill of Rights limits the power of government and protects the rights of the people.
— G.C.
George Clowes is former Heartland senior fellow addressing education policy. He served as founding managing editor of School Reform News between November 1996 and January 2005.
