FSF Ep 45: Celebrating the Declaration: America at 250 Event

May 29, 2026

Guest

Shelly Norton

Guest

Ken Pope

Guest

Lee Blasblom

Lee Blasblom, former teacher and school board member now training local leaders. Ken Pope, veteran and civic-education advocate focused on anti-communist awareness. Shelly Norton, 22-year teacher who supports and trains school board members. They discuss reclaiming founding documents, restoring civics and civil discourse in schools, grassroots action to empower local boards, and an in-person America at 250 gathering to revive debate and free speech.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

School Boards Are The Leverage Point

School boards are the critical leverage point to restore balanced education and open debate in classrooms.
Shelly Norton built School Board Member Alliance after 22 years teaching to train and support local boards in Virginia (118 members helped so far).

ADVICE

Turn Anniversary Into Civic Reeducation

Use the 250th anniversary as a platform for grassroots civic re-education through webinars and an in-person summit.
The America at 250 plan: monthly webinars plus a June 12–13 event in Arlington with lectures, tours, and networking.

INSIGHT

Education Shapes Political Ideology

Young Americans show alarming attraction to socialism tied to what they learn in schools and colleges of education.
Ken Pope cites Cato data (62% of 18–29 in 2025) and low NAEP civics/history scores as evidence of ideological training.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

"Bad ideas survive when people are too afraid to speak up." Shelly Norden, Ken Pope, and Leigh Vlasblom join hosts Chris and Joia for a special episode promoting the America at 250 initiative—including an event in June to reclaim the founding principles of free speech, civil discourse, and limited government as America approaches its 250th birthday.

Ken notes a disturbing ripple effect in our current culture: bad education leads to bad ideas in media, law, and every other institution. "It all comes back to education," Shelly stresses, where instead kids should learn "how to debate openly, how to not take things personally.” Leigh adds a radical proposal: simply read the founding documents—they're free, yet schools claim they have "no money." Pennsylvania's school law even requires an hour of civics education taught every week, yet "we've abandoned the original sources" in favor of "big corporations writing new textbooks that have modified history." The solution is grassroots: support educators and school board members doing good work, encourage those who could do better, and protect those being personally attacked for offering opposing opinions.

About the America at 250 Event: Happening June 12-13 in Arlington, VA, the America at 250 initiative brings together leaders, educators, school board members, parents, and concerned citizens to spark a grassroots movement reclaiming the founding principles that built this nation. The event features lectures, discussions, tours, and interactive experiences designed to equip community members with the knowledge and courage to defend American values and civil discourse in their local schools and communities. Shelly, Ken, and Leigh are leading this effort to ensure that as we enter our next 250 years, we're grounded in the original sources—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers—and committed to teaching the next generation how to think critically, debate respectfully, and defend the freedoms we've inherited. Whether you're a parent concerned about what's happening in classrooms, an educator seeking to restore civics education, or simply someone who believes in the power of the founding documents, America at 250 offers a platform to connect, learn, and take action.

Registration and more information available at leadershipinstitute.org/americaat250.