Target: Linda McMahon, Secretary of U.S. Department of Education
Goal: Encourage more civics education and participation in school classrooms.
Informed citizens make better-informed voters, yet when it comes to teaching students about the basic concepts of American government, American education is falling down on the job. Roughly three-quarters of states require civics classes for graduation, while less than half require students to pass a civics exam. And as for the quality of classes, only half meet standards for a full and holistic civics education.
At its core, civics promotes instruction about democracy and its lynchpins in America (the Constitution and the Bill of Rights), about voting at the local, state, and federal level, about objectively assessing media sources, about government policies, and about robust participation in public life. Civics education has historically been seen as important in the United States because it can instill young people with a sense of public duty and encourage them to think about and debate issues in a rational way that can better create meaningful dialogue, common ground, and compromise. Young people with a fundamental grasp of how their government works are also believed to be more likely to become lifelong voters and participants in civic responsibilities such as community service.
Sign the petition below to urge more support for civics education at the federal level.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary McMahon,
Only 24 percent of American students have a demonstrated proficiency in civics, according to one assessment. A mere decade ago, only one-quarter of Americans could correctly identify the three branches of American government. A majority of Americans could not pass the citizenship test required of immigrants. In a nation where education about the government and public life is seen as an “elective” rather than a “core” need in many cases, it is little wonder that fully one-third or more of Americans sit out any given election.
For true engagement, the commitment to civics education cannot be a patchwork, state-by-state approach. Colorado, which has a detailed year-long course and an exam graduation requirement for civics (and which also has much higher rates of voluntary student civic participation), has provided a successful blueprint that other states would do well to follow. Students across the country should have the same opportunity for learning about the operation of the nation they call home. Advocate for and help make possible the incorporation of civics courses and exams at every school in America.
You mentioned in your mission “a last chance to restore the culture of liberty and excellence that made American education great.” Leave the lasting legacy of an informed and engaged citizenry.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: RDNE Stock Project
