Garden City High School students explore constitutional issues with Yale Professor Amar and Dr. Lip
On March 24, Professor Akhil Amar and Dr. Andy Lipka, Yale alumni and cohosts of the podcast “Amarica’s Constitution,” visited Garden City High School to speak with AP Government students. During their visit, they recorded an episode of their podcast and held an interactive discussion with students on a range of constitutional topics.
Students have been studying Amar’s book, “Born Equal,” as part of their coursework. Professor Amar, a Sterling professor of law at Yale University, and Dr. Lipka, a physician and educator who produces the show, also coauthor columns on legal and constitutional issues.
Throughout the session, the speakers explored the distinction between being “created” versus “born” equal and discussed foundational texts in American history, including the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address. They emphasized the importance of studying history through books and primary sources before concluding with a student-led question and answer session.
“This was an incredible opportunity for our students to engage directly with leading voices in constitutional law,” said AP Government teachers and event organizers Ms. Michele DeCollibus and Mr. Kevin O’Hagan. “It provided a valuable, real-world connection to the concepts we explore in class.”