Civic Educ Needed in Schools; Civics, Govt Often Behind Science, Math; 'Civic Deserts,' Lack of Civic Life

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Sun Oct 6, 2024, 11:28 AM - Edit history (1)

'The Need for Civic Education in 21st- Century Schools,' by Rebecca Winthrop, Brookings Institution, June 4, 2020. Edit.
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Americans’ participation in civic life is essential to sustaining our democratic form of government. Without it, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people will not last. Of increasing concern to many is the declining levels of civic engagement across the country, a trend that started several decades ago. Today, we see evidence of this in the limited civic knowledge of the American public, 1 in 4 of whom, according to a 2016 survey led by Annenberg Public Policy Center, are unable to name the 3 branches of government.

It is not only knowledge about how the government works that is lacking—confidence in our leadership is also extremely low.

According to the Pew Research Center, which tracks public trust in government, as of March 2019, only an unnerving 17 % trust the government in Washington to do the right thing. We also see this lack of engagement in civic behaviors, with Americans’ reduced participation in community organizations and lackluster participation in elections, especially among young voters.

Many reasons undoubtedly contribute to this decline in civic engagement: from political dysfunction to an actively polarized media to the growing mobility of Americans and even the technological transformation of leisure. Of particular concern is the rise of “civic deserts,” namely places where there are few to no opportunities for people to “meet, discuss issues, or address problems.” They estimate that 60 % of all rural youth live in civic deserts along with 30 % of urban and suburban Americans. Given the decline of participation in religious organizations and unions, which a large proportion of Americans consistently engaged in over the course of the 20th cent., it is clear that new forms of civic networks are needed in communities.

As one of the few social institutions present in virtually every community across America, schools can and should play an important role in catalyzing increased civic engagement. They can do this by helping young people develop and practice the knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors needed to participate in civic life. Schools can also directly provide opportunities for civic engagement as a local institution that can connect young and old people alike across the community. To do this, civic learning needs to be part and parcel of the current movement across many schools to equip young people with 21st- cent. skills. To date however, civic education experts argue that civic learning is on the margins of young people’s school experience.. 70% of 12th graders say they have never written a letter to give an opinion or solve a problem, 30% say they have never taken part in a debate—all important parts of a quality civic learning... - Read More,
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-need-for-civic-education-in-21st-century-schools/#:

The State of Civics Education (CBS News, 2019, 2 mins.). Woodbridge Senior High School in Northern Virginia, AP Civics, Democracy Class. Civics and government curriculums often take a back seat to math and science. Groups trying to improve civic education include Me Too, March for Our Lives and Never Again.

[valleyrogue]

1. The article is nonsense.

"Civics" is taught, but not as a separate subject, in public school districts. It is part of the social studies curriculum with a mix of political science, history, and law. I suggest these "think tank experts" actually know what they are talking about.

The schools are the favorite whipping boys of perceived problems in society. People work all the g.d.. time trying to put food on the table, so if they aren't involved in their communities as in the overrated 1950s, that is hardly their fault.

This always pisses me off.

[appalachiablue]

7. I think many people realise how school budgets have undergone

cuts and hard working teachers are dealing with more and more responsibilities, stress, limited resources and supplies, along with inadequate salaries in recent times. Some of this mentioned in the article, and excerpted below. Many teachers have been leaving the profession because of these issues and more since this 2020 article.

I don't think it's a pure take down and hit piece on schools and blaming teachers but clearly we need to build up knowledge in civics and government somehow, esp. now when democracy is seriously threatened.

Agree that people are working many hours and are stressed due to the poor work and life balance in the US which is inexcusable in the richest country on earth. They have little time for extras like becoming involved in civic groups and building community.

It's very different now from earlier decades when the US middle class was the largest in the world before Reagan and the hard right began lowering it by cutting unions, lowering wages and benefits, increasing college costs and other measures.
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- Excerpt: While 42 states and the District of Columbia require at least one course related to civics, few states prioritize the range of strategies, such as service learning which is only included in the standards for 11 states, that is required for an effective civic education experience.

- The study also found that high school social studies teachers are some of the least supported teachers in schools and report teaching larger numbers of students and taking on more non-teaching responsibilities like coaching school sports than other teachers...

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. Republicans do not want young students to know how government and society should operate.

They want un-educated young people, they want ignorant stooges that they can manipulate.

[appalachiablue]

4. Well said. Community centers could also offer classes for

young and old, even refresher courses but I'm sure they're limited by govt. budget cuts and for political reasons by some in charge.

Other organizations that care about the state of democracy here could provide continuing education studies in this vital area as well.

My public school course in civics and govt. was limited, and I could use an update. Thanks for replying.

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Not well said, but I did fix.

[Beartracks]

11. No kidding. Rightwing radio is happy to fill the "civic deserts" with their partisan bullshit.

They will politicize anything, so they'd probably bitch and moan that efforts to boost civic education in these areas is anti-American.

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[brewens]

3. I graduated in 1979, and Government was a requirement we took as seniors. It was really easy and I can only

remember maybe one guy not graduating because he flunked it but that was really behavioral. It was one semester, and I probably wouldn't remember squat from that if I hadn't become interested in politics. Who knows, maybe everything I know was relearned over the years.

[appalachiablue]

5. I hear you, the civic and government studies in my high school were

slim and definitely not memorable. Thanks for your post.

[slightlv]

8. During my high school years,

we had separate classes (that lasted all year) for geography, civics, and government. One "elective" class was world religions. We didn't have a lot of electives, and one a few disciplines included info from others. Geography, civics, and government were obviously cross learning example. You can easily bring in the other two subjects into any of one class. But we did have separate classes, and history was emphasized (oh, how I hated remembering dates! My teacher was emphatic about dates. Me, I was more interested in the micro and macrocosm around the events than on what day of what year they happened.)

Interesting to think, but today all these classes would be seen as "woke" and "indoctrination" to the magas for their kids. And so, the kids are totally unprepared for life in the 21st century. Whether or not they like globalization (and there are some parts of it even *I* don't like), we all have to be prepared to live in a global civilization. Many of today's most pressing problems are global in nature, and can only be solved by people involved in and committed to global solutions.

[appalachiablue]

10. You were fortunate to have had such a broad no of subjects

to take in classes. Yes, the maga population has bought the anti woke and indoctrination propaganda of the continual culture wars.

How parents are so easily led and lacking in thinking critically to believe this nonsense and more is disturbing, and dangerous. Agree about the need to understand the expanded global world. We're not in Kansas anymore. Thanks for the post.

[travelingthrulife]

9. I wish we required a civil service exam before anyone could declare candidacy

for elected federal roles like US House or Senate. They should, at baseline, have an understanding of how our government works.

This would also emphasize the importance of civics classes.