The Need for Civic Education

Americans’ participation in civics is vital to sustaining our democracy. Many adults experience difficulty in naming their senators, bills of rights, or even the responsibilities of the three branches of government. We’re not just ignorant of the machinery of government but the importance of the role of government in our lives.

As educators in public, private, charter, or even Montessori schools, asking students about their level of interest in politics will get an interesting response, and it is lackluster at best. Many reasons contribute to the decline in civic participation, including political dysfunction, partisanship in the media, and the growing racial mobility of Americans on police brutality. Schools can and should play an important role in increasing civic engagement; this can be done by helping young people develop, practice, and participate in activities that entail citizenship in the United States.

Forty-two states and the District of Columbia require at least one course related to civics; few states prioritize service learning, which is only included in the standards for 11 states. Service learning is the field experience needed for civic education. The social studies class, where civic education is typically taught, is not accommodated in many schools but is de-emphasized for math and English.

The Purpose of Civic Education

The idea of everyone sharing the same school experience where people in America can receive a standard education was developed when our forefathers built the United States. It took a while before access to public education became a reality, but when it did, the progress of a citizen-based who had the skills and knowledge to engage in a democracy would become paramount. Horace Mann, who is the “father of American education,” argued that free, standardized, and universal schooling was essential to self-governance. The foundation of our educational system was built upon the belief that schooling institutions have a key role to play in preparing youth to be civically engaged. This goal has been almost eradicated for testing standards and other educational objectives that have pushed civics to the basement.

Civic education is akin to developing 21st-century skills and academic competencies. Students need to be able to lead others, communicate effectively, come up with new ways to solve problems and be competent in a digital world. These skills must be taught using democratic tactics because the schools operate in a democratic setting as well as the nation. While several competencies are included in 21st-century thinking, they do not clearly impart strong norms and values about society. Public education will continue to debate about whose values should be privileged, especially in relation to deeply held religious and cultural beliefs. Instead, the focus should be based on the universal declaration of rights that should be afforded to us all.

Civic learning is foundational to helping young people develop the dispositions needed to actively engage in civic life. There are norms that we live by as a society, but debate has always been a part of the lexicon to resolve our differences. Students must learn how to debate respectfully while being able to articulate points of descension. How can young people be expected to actively participate in democracy if they are not tapped into the system that they will one day be participants?

What Students Should Know About Civic Education?

Political systems have existed for centuries. The only way to work toward building an equitable, just society is to become knowledgeable about how change can happen. To carry us into the new era, students will need to use innovative methods along with the traditional form of democracy to develop egalitarian institutions in a multicultural context. A truly democratic society relies on the level of information the citizens possess. Preparing people to become knowledgeable and proactive members of a democratic society requires proper education.

Below are a few things students should gain from civics education.

Civic skills: Students understand the operational systems of government, the political atmosphere, the rights afforded by the constitution, and the history of how the political structure was introduced, more specifically, democracy.

Civic values: Students must learn how to dialogue civilly, understand the power and limits of free speech, engage with those of different perspectives, and be able to effectively challenge claims respectfully.

Civic behaviors: Students understand the power of civic organizations, the voting system, and the purpose of protesting, petitioning, attending public meetings, and politically engaging with their communities.

Civic education: Like every education, it is a continuing initiative, process, and discussion. Each generation must pass on adaptable knowledge but also be able to improve a government that is for the people and by the people. More importantly, students must be given the instruments to understand and improve.