ACS Presents the Constitution in the Classroom Program

A student working toward his juris doctor at the Florida A&M University College of Law, Danny Musaab Kiswani earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and management from the University of Central Florida. Extremely interested in political and constitutional issues, Danny Kiswani belongs to professional organizations such as the American Constitution Society (ACS).

Established by the progressive movement following the Bush v. Gore decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the ACS believes that the law should positively impact people's lives. The society has more than 200 chapters across the nation and provides a diverse range of public programs, including the Constitution in the Classroom program.

Designed to educate students about essential principles of our nation's founding document, Constitution in the Classroom takes place twice a year in the spring and fall to honor Law Day and Constitution Day, respectively. Although the society focuses the program on these two dates, volunteers can also go to schools to talk about the Constitution anytime throughout the year.

Both law students and lawyers can volunteer for the program. ACS will supply them with lesson plans to teach for approximately an hour about some portion of the Constitution to elementary, middle school, or high school students.

ACS Love our Constitution Program 2018

A student at Florida A&M University College of Law, Danny Musaab Kiswani participates in the American Constitution Society (ACS). Danny Kiswani support the ACS in its mission to create a progressive, accessible legal system for all Americans.

One ACS initiative, the Love Our Constitution program, seeks to foster discussion regarding the founding principles of American government and the role of the courts in shaping law and politics in America. The program has been hosted in 2017 and 2018, with the 2018 program's theme dealing with the judiciary and its role in curbing overreach by other branches of government. The ACS program specifically deals with Article III of the Constitution, which details the role of the courts.

Through Love Our Constitution, ACS members give presentations on the topic at hand throughout the country at public gathering places such as schools, bookstores, libraries, and churches. ACS provides presentation materials and pocket Constitutions, as well as handouts regarding specific elements of the judiciary, to make presentations easy even for those who have not presented on legal issues before.

The ACS Constitution in the Classroom Program

An accomplished student and active member of the community, Danny Musaab Kiswani plans to complete his law degree at Florida A&M University in 2019. In addition to his law classes, Danny Kiswani holds membership in legal organizations such as the American Constitution Society (ACS).

Founded to shape debate and opinions about the U.S. Constitution and other legal matters, ACS brings together students, attorneys, legal scholars, and policy makers in a progressive network dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans. ACS serves its members, the legal field, and society through a combination of networking events, policy advocacy, education, and special projects such as its Constitution in the Classroom initiative.

A biannual event, Constitution in the Classroom sends attorneys, law students, and Constitutional law scholars into grade school and high school classrooms to share their knowledge about the U.S. Constitution and get students excited about their rights and responsibilities as Americans. The program officially takes place each year in the fall on or around Constitution Day (September 17) and in the spring on or around Law Day (May 1). However, ACS welcomes volunteers from the legal field to visit classrooms throughout the year as their schedules allow.

The Lasting Impact of Thurgood Marshall and Derek Bell

Sanford, Florida native Danny Musaab Kiswani currently attends Florida A&M University College of Law, where he works towards obtaining a JD and beginning a law career focused on the political arena. Danny Kiswani, a committed and hardworking student, is an active member of the Florida A&M Mock Trial Team and the librarian for the Marshall-Bell Law Society, a student organization named for two legal professionals who excelled in their field, Thurgood Marshall and Derek Bell.

Thurgood Marshall and Derek Bell both broke down racial barriers in the U.S. judicial system. Derek Bell holds the distinction of being the first African-American professor to be awarded tenure at Harvard Law School. Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Both men sought to use judicial means to promote social and economic equality and ensure all people, including African-Americans, were treated equally under the law. The Marshall-Bell Law Society aims to continue their mission by promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity within the legal system.

Project PASS at FAMU College of Law

A native Floridian, Danny Musaab Kiswani balances a busy career as a law student with a commitment to the local community. Danny Kiswani is a student at the Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law, and he expects to complete his JD in 2019.

The FAMU College of Law has made a significant impact since it first opened in 2002. Among other notable achievements, the school stands out for training more African American attorneys in the past five years than all other Florida law schools combined. Dedicated to the success of its students, the institution offers numerous resources that improve learning outcomes and make better lawyers. 

One of these initiatives is Project PASS (Performance Assessment and Strategic Support), an innovative program that helps FAMU law students identify and improve their weakest academic areas. For example, as part of Project PASS, first-year students took part in a two-week “boot camp” that taught fundamental skills necessary to succeed as law students while offering assessments of participants’ current skill levels.

Other elements of Project PASS include a partnership with BARBRI Bar Review, a legal education organization, through which students have an opportunity to take assessment exams and receive reports analyzing academic areas in which they can improve. Students then have access to specialized tools that can help them work on those areas.