RI Secretary of State Amore brings importance of democracy to Middletown

MIDDLETOWN – A packed room of AP US History and AP Government students, along with state Rep. Terri Cortvriend and state Sen. Lou Dipalma, gathered in the Middletown High School library to hear RI Secretary of State Gregg Amore speak about the history of voter repression and the future of voter rights in America.

On the 58^th anniversary of the infamous Bloody Sunday of March 7, 1965, when protestors including the late Congressman John Lewis gathered in Selma and marched to the Edmund Pettus Bridge only to be ferociously beaten by Alabama state troopers, Amore spoke passionately about how news footage of the brutality paved the way for the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year.

Amore then delved into the democratic process in the United States from the time of the Articles of Confederation up to the present, quizzing students on key constitutional amendments related to voter rights and tracing the nonlinear progress of enfranchisement and expanded ballot access in Rhode Island and across the country.

He took a minute to highlight in particular the 2022 passage of the Let RI Vote Act a bill he sponsored while serving as a state representative — Rep. Lauren Carson and Sen. Dawn Euer were among his co-sponsors — which expanded access to mail ballots, strengthened state voter registration list maintenance and increased ballot access for elderly and disabled voters.

Students discussed four key amendments with the Secretary of State – do you know them all?

“This is the part of the lesson where I give you some numbers, and you connect the dots with these numbers: 15, 19, 24, 26,” said Amore. “Those are voting rights amendments – let’s go through them.”

While it is normal for American citizens not to know every single constitutional amendment, Middletown residents may be proud to know the students in their town were able to identify the purpose of all four.

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Amendment XV: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Amendment XIX: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Amendment XXIV: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.”

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Amendment XXVI: “The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.”

Amore’s visit to Middletown High School part of Rhode Island Civic Learning Week

The goal of Rhode Island Civic Learning Week is to highlight the importance of civic education in sustaining and strengthening constitutional democracy in the United States and prioritize civic learning for all Rhode Islanders.

Amore told the students about the inaugural Rhode Island Civic Education Teacher of the Year Award, which the state will give to one outstanding teacher who has demonstrated commitment and expertise in teaching Civics or American Government. Recipients must be nominated by a current student, teaching colleague, or administrator at forms.sos.ri.gov/teachernomination.aspx.

He also mentioned Project In-Site, a program he is building which if established would allow for students from across the state to meet with members from all branches of government, participate in mock sessions, visit courtrooms and interact with judges, examine legislation, and learn about other forms of civic participation over a three-day period and would be free of charge for all who attend.

Middletown High School students share what they learned

“I learned how important it was for us to vote because historically it has been suppressed and difficult; it was really cool to see that aspect from a historical perspective of why we should vote know and be engaged,” John Wiest, student government president said.

“I think that when you’re taking a history class you usually get a really sequential view of history. Seeing all of the examples of voter suppression in one discussion was interesting, to get a big scope of view to see how it has changed and how it still needs to be improved today,” senior Collin Klampert said.

Zane Wolfang can be reached at zwolfang@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: RI Secretary of State Gregg Amore visits Middletown High School