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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 23d

Meet Dr. Antonia Novello
✅ First woman & Hispanic American Surgeon General
✅ Advocate for children, women & underserved communities
✅ Lifelong commitment to equity in public health

Read her inspiring story: civicsforlife.org/antonia-nove...
#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #HispanicHeritageMonth

Antonia Novello: From Patient To Physician-General - Civics For Life

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush appointed Antonia Novello as the 14th Surgeon General of the United States, making her the first woman and the first

civicsforlife.org

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 23d

The interest in and impact of the O'Connor Institute's latest public policy brief continues to grow. Read the newest editorial published in The Columbus Dispatch @dispatch.com www.dispatch.com/story/opinio...

Study: Fearful Ohio teachers are 'tiptoeing' in class as not to outrage parents | Opinion

Teachers avoid entire topics out of fear that a student’s comment might spark parental outrage.

www.dispatch.com

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 24d

Monday Motivation from Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

“The chase is always worth it. Indeed, the search is what it's all about. It's the joy of life.”
— Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

📚 More inspiration: library.oconnorinstitute.org #MondayMotivation #JoyOfLife

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 24d

The @chicago.suntimes.com published a letter to the editor from the O'Connor Institute VP, Liam Julian, regarding our latest public policy brief. Read it now at the link.
chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-t...

Teachers can't hold back on civic lessons

Most educators said they’ve self-censored in teaching civic lessons and cite fear of controversy as a barrier to teaching civics at all, research found. Also, domestic violence, speed cameras, critici...

chicago.suntimes.com

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 27d

📜 I penned “We the People”
🗣️ Spoke most at the Constitutional Convention
🦵 Had a wooden leg
🗽 A Bronx borough bears my name
Who am I? 👇
#WhoAmI #America250 #CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #AmericasFounders

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 27d

O'Connor Institute VP Liam Julian discusses the latest policy brief in this commentary published in Real Clear Politics.
www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/202...

Our Civics Teachers Are Afraid To Teach Civics | RealClearPolitics

This fall, as millions of students return to school and America approaches its 250th birthday, something troubling is happening in classrooms across the...

www.realclearpolitics.com

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 27d

O'Connor Institute VP Liam Julian spoke with
@kjzz.org earlier this week about the latest policy brief: "Why Are Teachers Uncomfortable Teaching Civics?"

Catch up now at: www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...

Civics teachers are afraid of political land mines, and students get watered-down lessons

New research finds civics teachers across this country say, in large part, that they are uncomfortable teaching civics and are unprepared to do so.

www.kjzz.org

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 28d

@edweek.org explores the Institute's new policy brief and why even some of the most experienced civics teachers are avoiding certain topics in the classroom. Read it now: www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

Why Some Civics Educators Are Afraid to Teach Their Subject

"They just don’t know in this new environment what they can and can’t say," said one civics education expert.

www.edweek.org

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 28d

@lasvegassun.bsky.social shares a new op-ed on research from the Institute: "Why civics teachers are afraid to teach civics." Read it now at: lasvegassun.com/news/2025/se...

Why civics teachers are afraid to teach civics

As students across Nevada settle into the new school year and the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a question arises: Are we preparing the next generation to understand, engage with and...

lasvegassun.com

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 28d

@ajc.com shares "Civics teachers are self-censoring, but political violence shows we need them" with new research from the Institute. Read it now: www.ajc.com/opinion/2025...

Civics teachers are self-censoring, but political violence shows we need them

Civics education is more important than ever with events like the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. U.S. must invest in teachers to prepare students.

www.ajc.com

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 28d

We remember September 11, 2001—honoring those we lost, the bravery of first responders, and the resilience of our nation. #NeverForget #CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · 29d

Civic tip: Do you know who your city or county elected officials are? Check out your city and county website to learn more about the elected officials representing you.
#LocalGovernment #CivicsForLife #OConnorInstitute

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 9

High schoolers—it’s time to make your voice count.

Join the O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club for the 25–26 school year! This year, we’re exploring the Bill of Rights—your rights, your freedoms, your future.

Connect, debate, and grow. Learn more: oconnorinstitute.org/ambassadors

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 8

The O’Connor Institute’s new policy brief asks: Why are teachers uncomfortable teaching civics?

Survey results show:
🔹 80% of civics teachers have self-censored
🔹 86% cite fear of controversy
🔹 Fewer than 15% receive clear guidance on what they can teach

oconnorinstitute.org/research2025

Why Are Teachers Uncomfortable Teaching Civics?

K–12 civics teachers across the country feel underprepared, unsupported, and increasingly afraid to teach vital material.

oconnorinstitute.org

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 5

In 1774, fifty-six men gathered in Philadelphia. They weren’t declaring independence yet—only learning how to act as one. 🇺🇸

The First Continental Congress set the stage for a new nation.
Read more: civicsforlife.org/the-first-continental-congress
#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute

The First Continental Congress: Thirteen Clocks Begin To Strike Together - Civics For Life

Seven weeks later, on October 26, 1774, the First Continental Congress adjourned, promising to reconvene in May 1775 if their grievances remained unaddressed.

civicsforlife.org

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 3

🖋️ Signed: Declaration, Articles, Constitution & more
⚖️ Architect of the Great Compromise
👞 Started as a shoemaker
🌲 Represented Connecticut
Take your best guess!
#WhoAmI #America250 #CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #AmericasFounders

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Sep 2

Civics Trivia Time!
What is the term for the Supreme Court's process of selecting which cases it will hear?
A) Certiorari
B) Habeas Corpus
C) Amicus Curiae
D) Writ of Mandamus

Drop your answer in the comments! ⬇️
#CivicsForLife #OConnorInstitute #CivicEducation

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 29

If this sticker takes you back to grade school notebooks, what do you really remember about the Bill of Rights? 🦋🌈

Brush up on the basics with Civics101.info - quick, clear refreshers for lifelong learners.

#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 28

🧠 One of the youngest framers
🇺🇸 Shaped constitutional ideas
🌿 From South Carolina
Who am I? Guess below ⬇️
#WhoAmI #AmericasFounders #CivicsforLife #America250 #OConnorInstitute

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 27

Aug. 27, 1908: Lyndon B. Johnson was born in Texas Hill Country. From humble roots to the presidency, LBJ’s legacy encompasses civil rights, Medicare, the Great Society, and the Vietnam War.

Read more on Civics for Life: civicsforlife.org/born-in-the-hill-country

#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute

Born In The Hill Country: The August Day That Brought Us Lyndon B. Johnson - Civics For Life

Lyndon B. Johnson’s birthday is not a national holiday, but it marks the beginning of one of the most complex and consequential political lives of the 20th

civicsforlife.org

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 26

A new digital gem: the Sandra Day O’Connor Digital Library. Access her Supreme Court opinions, speeches, Arizona Senate works, vivid timeline, and more. Justice O’Connor’s story—from cowgirl to constitutional cornerstone—is now discoverable in one place: library.oconnorinstitute.org #SupremeCourt

Sandra Day O'Connor Library: Supreme Court Legacy & Resources

Explore the O'Connor Library, a rich resource of Supreme Court opinions, writings, and oral histories preserving the legacy of the Justice.

library.oconnorinstitute.org

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 25

Aug 25, 1916—President Wilson signs a law creating the National Park Service. 🌲🏛️
It preserves our nation’s beauty and history for generations to come.
Read more: civicsforlife.org/the-national-park-service

#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #NationalParks

Preserving America’s Wonder: The Birth Of The National Park Service - Civics For Life

With the stroke of a pen, the National Park Service was born.

civicsforlife.org

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 21

🎧 Featured in Civics for Life Quarterly: “A Conversation on the Economy with Dr. Art Laffer”
Plus articles on civic education, discourse & engagement.
➡️ civicsforlife.org/civics-for-l...

#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #Economy

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Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 21

🌺 On Aug. 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state. The journey? Decades of political struggle, cultural change & a 93% “yes” vote for statehood.
Read the full story: civicsforlife.org/the-day-hawa...
#CivicsforLife #OConnorInstitute #HawaiiStatehood

The Fiftieth Star: The Day Hawaii Became A State - Civics For Life

On the morning of August 21, 1959, the sun rose over the Pacific as it always had, casting light on the beaches, volcanoes, and green mountains of Hawaii. But

civicsforlife.org

Sandra Day O'Connor Institute @oconnorinstitute.bsky.social · Aug 20

📖 Wrote Federalist Papers
⚖️ First U.S. Chief Justice
🤝 Negotiated peace with Britain
🎓 My name lives on in a university
Who am I? ⬇️
#WhoAmI #AmericasFounders #OConnorInstitute #America250 #CivicsforLife