Dr. Neil Siegel, professor of Law and Political Science at Duke University, spoke to students and faculty about the U.S. Constitution in Tang Theatre.
In an event planned in coordination with the History department, Dr. Neil Siegel, a professor of Law and Political Science at Duke, covered the U.S. Constitution in a conversation with Leon Calleja, Chair of the English Department. The event, held on October 9, served as part of Andover’s efforts in the broader initiative for students to engage in political discourse on campus.
Kicking off the event, Siegel explained the importance of the Constitution, a document that heavily influences the lives of everyone in the United States, particularly in a time of polarization.
“Because the U.S. is so extraordinarily diverse, the U.S. Constitution is often called our civic religion. Especially during an era in which our politics is quite polarized, it’s important to ask what binds us together as a nation. I think at the top of the list is the U.S. Constitution,” said Siegel.
Siegel continued, “The Constitution is our fundamental law, the law from which all other laws either follow or are impermissible because they violate the Constitution… You’re going to be living with the consequences of how the Constitution is interpreted or misinterpreted a lot more than the people currently on the Supreme Court.”
Calleja, in conversation with Siegel, who formerly clerked for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, covered pressing topics such as recent Supreme Court cases and the constitutional framework surrounding democracy. Calleja hoped that students would leave the event with a deeper understanding of the legal and historical context that shapes contemporary governance.
“In the spring of last year, we were talking about the kinds of programming the school could offer around democracy and the elections for the upcoming year… [Students can take away] their own role in how government works, where their voice fits in, and the kinds of responsibilities and obligations one has, even if that means getting a better understanding of how government works, how our laws and the Supreme Court works. The combination of just education on a part of the law and a part of our government sometimes goes under-analyzed, but hopefully motivates people to think more,” said Calleja.
Calleja further emphasized the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives into political discussions, asserting that fostering open-minded conversations allows students to grapple with complex issues while respecting differing opinions.
“At the end of the day, the school, in terms of trying to articulate more clearly a policy on civil discourse, is trying to be really clear about being open-minded and allowing speech. As much speech as possible while still being clear and direct with what the school does not believe in, in terms of hate speech and things like that,” said Calleja.
Sebastian Lemberger ’25, a student in Mr. Calleja’s Colloquium class that previously brought in Siegel as a guest speaker, reflected on the value of discussing constitutional law with experts on campus, acknowledging the timeliness and importance of such discussions in the current political landscape.
“It’s always interesting to hear from someone outside the school who has studied these topics in depth. Professor Siegel brought a critical view of the Constitution that challenged how we think about democracy… This is especially timely because questions of how the Constitution relates to democracy have been coming up a lot, especially with Supreme Court rulings like Trump versus the United States. So that’s a very important issue to be discussing as the election and the potential of a second Trump term emerges,” said Lemberger.
Lemberger continued, “I don’t think it will either increase or decrease political discussion on campus, but for those who are interested in constitutionality and how democracy works, it will give them something interesting to talk about. The questions of how the Constitution impacts our democracy are very important to discuss right now.”
Jasjit Hargun ’27, a member of the Andover Political Union (APU), commented positively on the event and Andover’s efforts to establish political education and conversation on campus.
“Last year, no one really talked about politics. Some people don’t like talking about it, which is fine, but we should be educated on it. The school is doing a good job of helping us learn about the political system and different political views. It’s important to see that not everyone here has the same political affiliation. People often assume everyone must be a Democrat, but that’s not the case as I’ve seen through APU. A diverse set of viewpoints, with respect to community norms, helps students learn how politics work so that they can engage more when they’re adults and can make the changes they want to see,” said Hargun.
