The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is expanding its YouTube presence with a web series that reinforces Americans’ constitutional protections. Everyone deserves to know their rights, including the youngest citizens in the U.S. — so to meet those children where they spend their time, the ACLU has taken up residence on YouTube Kids.
The ACLU’s contribution to the YouTube Kids library is an animated series titled Know Your Rights University. By combining the colorful look of shows like CoComelon with the expertise of its staffers, the ACLU is hoping to educate kids about the protections they enjoy while attending school.
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Episodes of Know Your Rights University have covered topics like free speech and book bans. In a further nod to popular children’s content on YouTube, the ACLU has even sprinkled in some sing-alongs that complement the show’s more didactic elements.
The ACLU produced Know Your Rights University in-house, with Brandon O. Lake — a stop-motion animator, teacher, and parent — leading the way. The nonprofit also partnered with the animation studio Threadwood to bring its YouTube Kids series to life.
“It feels like now, more than ever, is an important time to talk about civics and our constitutional rights and there’s no better place to start than with our nation’s curious kids and the caring adults in their lives,” Lake said in a statement. “So many of us grew up watching and singing along with educational content like Schoolhouse Rock! and Reading Rainbow. We hope Know Your Rights University makes learning about our rights and freedoms fun, engaging, and memorable for this generation of kids.”
As YouTube becomes a viable aid for teachers of all levels, it has been populated with a wide variety of educational content. Creators like Mark Rober and the Vlogbrothers have gotten in on that push, as have some of the biggest production companies in the children’s media space. One of the classics cited by Lake, Reading Rainbow, recently relaunched with a YouTube reboot.
The ACLU’s contribution to that programming wave pairs the power of kid-friendly animation with YouTube’s potential as a political hub. You can check out the entirety of Know Your Rights University‘s first season via the ACLU YouTube channel.
