Re-Imagining Civics

I’m just a bill.
Yes, I’m only a bill.
And I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it’s a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It’s a long, long wait
While I’m sitting in committee,
But I know I’ll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.

This catchy tune was the anthem to many students in the 1970s and 80s. “Schoolhouse Rock” reached children in their homes, after school and on Saturday monrings. The creators of this 64- episode series knew what they were doing when they created bright, captivating cartoon characters who talked and sang about subjects such as grammar, science, economics, history and of course, civics.

Civics education has evolved throughout the years and today, each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., requires students to study civics at some point in their educational journey. The extent to which civics is incorporated into curriculums varies based on state-mandated requirements as to what exactly students should learn and how long educators are permitted to spend on the subject.

Imagine an educational setting where students not only learned the fundamentals, such as how a bill becomes a law and the what many of already know as the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government, but also how to apply that knowledge outside of the classroom, so that it’s manifested into a lifelong pursuit of a commitment to being civically engaged.

Merriam-Webster defines civics as a social science dealing with the rights and duties of citizens. If asked, “What does civics mean to you,” some of us might cite a few words from Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m just a bill…” Or, some might just say, “a boring part of our history class.” Imagine answers from students that talk about engagement, volunteering, registering voters, marching for causes, speaking with elected officials, attending community forums and debates and even spearheading causes.

That’s what a re-imagined version of the old brand of civics might look like. It also can look like what each of you imagine, what inspires you and what moves you to action.

Civics was often an after-thought in education. It may have even been incorporated into American History or Government classes. Students were often given a crash course on government structure, the difference between the three branches of government and maybe a few other components before educators were required to return to teaching a curriculum mandated by state lawmakers.

In the mid 1990’s, the concept of service learning was developed and promoted widely in many communities. The idea that students could reap educational benefits while contributing to their community through service was incorporated into some schools. Service learning is certainly a worthy endeavor, but the tasks performed, often for non-profit organizations, rarely involved the components of civics, of demonstrative actions based on what is stated in our Constitution that could improve the communities where students live.

Throughout the next two decades, many national and local elections occurred, but nothing would shake and wake up a large core of voters and citizens as the 2016 Presidential election. The disdain, frustration and anger people felt as a result of local, state and national elections was fueled by social media. Political campaigns had only begun to incorporate digital media in their cache of methods to reach voters just a few years before 2016. Facebook became the Autobahn of social media. Unvetted advertisements, false claims from unreliable news sources traveled fast and furiously while those who worked behind the veil of anonymity to create and disseminate false, inflammatory content remained invisible. This environment created a toxic political climate, the ideal breeding ground to threated democracy, which forefathers and authors of our Constitution fought so hard to create and protect. We were spinning on a tumultuous Tilt-A-Whirl with no off switch.

The result? People mobilized. Groups formed to combat fake news that pervaded the pages, computer screens and social media feeds. People marched. They marched in Washington, D.C., for women’s equality, against gun violence, for LGBTQ rights. They marched in communities big and small, even St. Petersburg.

The power of one’s vote would now be more critical than ever, as many elections were decided by razor-thin margins. We also learned about voter suppression against minorities and that’s it’s not a myth. We learned how to advocate and educate. We learned how to empower our elected officials to create language to create an amendment to our state’s constitution so that convicted felons who’d served their sentence and paid for their crimes could be granted the right to once again vote. We fought for fair voting practices, since it was learned that in some communities where voting machines routinely malfunctioned, which impacted voter turnout. Or, ballots were written and approved by those holding political power with the intention to confuse voters who might vote for the opposition.

People became civically minded, which spurred engagement. What they’d learned in the classroom was put into practice in the community, on the streets, in state capitols. Civics was no longer relegated to the classroom and dismissed after sufficient mastery of the concepts provided a pass to move on to other subjects. Individuals of all demographics and backgrounds stepped up, became involved and sought activities to help their communities and the people who live there.

Re-imagining civics and how that might look to you and me requires us to consider how we can strive to incorporate a civic mindset into our lives.

The American Federation of Teachers states that when civics education is taught effectively, it can equip students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to become informed and engaged citizens.

The knowledge and skills facets of civics education is what most of us are familiar with. Education is fundamental to producing productive citizens, but what does disposition have to do with civics education? Isn’t the learning sufficient? Students should be permitted to move on to other, possibly more interesting subjects, once aptitude is proven, right?

Think for a minute… what does it mean to be equipped with a disposition tht is acquired from a comprehensive and engaging civics education? Disposition refers to our personalities, how we conduct ourselves, what type of demeanor we demonstrate. Our civic disposition reflects how we utilize what is learned in the classroom in the real world, how we put into practice what we’ve learned and have committed to memory to affect change, creative positive outcomes and play a role in our government. Acquiring and displaying a civic disposition requires us to be civic-minded. It’s not organic, but intentional.

The AFT stresses that civics is not synonymous with history. While increasing history courses and community service requirements are potential steps to augment students’ background knowledge and skill sets, civics is a narrow and instrumental instruction that provides students with the agency to apply these skills. The AFT went on to cite a report from The State of Civics Education, which finds a wide variation in state requirements and levels of youth engagement.

The report states that in 2016 only 26 percent of Americans could name all three branches of government, a significant decline from previous years. Not surprisingly, public trust in government is at only 18 percent and voter participation had reached its lowest point since 1996.

I think you’ll agree that in the three years since this report was published that improvements have been made in the areas of voter registration, voter engagement and civic participation. But a fundamental conundrum remains: Without an understanding of the structure of government, our rights and responsibilities, and the different methods of public engagement, civic literacy and voter apathy will continue to plague American democracy. Educators and schools have a unique opportunity and responsibility to ensure that young people become engaged and knowledgeable citizens.

What begins in the classroom must be applied in the real world, in the communities we call home. All 50 states have social studies standards that include civics and government, and 40 states require at least one course in government/civic, but it’s not always sufficient to create civically minded and engaged and committed citizens.

The Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C., think tank founded in 1916, devised 10 Proven Practices for creating community engagement. These are the critical elements of civics education that are often missing from the state-mandated requirements educators are expected to follow.

Re-imagining civics must begin to include participatory elements and community engagement along with the classroom and knowledge-building components.

This notion promotes the philosophy that teaching facts about United States government is important, but shouldn’t be the exclusive goal of civics education. Instead, civics education should empower the mind, spur the desire for engagement and result in a commitment to live civically, with a purpose to improve your community and create opportunity by using knowledge and framework designed by our forefathers and intended to endure for centuries.

Students must not only understand how democratic processes work, but also how to engage in the processes outside of the classroom. A high-quality civics education would include both of these components as part of students’ formal coursework.

These practices can provide a framework for students to be civic-minded, civically engaged and ultimately, civically committed. As I read them, think about whether you have engaged in these activities. If you haven’t yet, how might you be able to apply your civics education outside of the classroom, to increase engagement and become committed.

1. Classroom instruction in civics, government, history, law, economics, and geography

2. Discussion of current events

3. Service learning

4. Extracurricular activities

5. Student participation in school governance

6. Simulations of democratic processes and procedures

7. News media literacy

8. Action civics

9. Social-emotional learning (SEL)

10. School climate reform

This list promotes participatory civics, which leads to engagement and commitment. Civics education falls short when it is devoid of teaching students what participation looks like and how citizens can engage in their communities.

Many are already be aware of how to become civically engaged in your community. Think about what that means. If you’re unsure of how to start, there are many resources. The best place to start is with passion. What motivates you? What creates a burning curiosity. Have you witnessed inequities in society among various groups? You don’t have to wait until you cast your first vote to become civically engaged.

Imagine what you want the world to look like, what kind of community you want to live in and how you can mobilize to become involved. There are many resources available, from our local universities, to the League of Women Voters, local Democrat and Republican Clubs, groups such as Moms Demand Action. If voter registration is what drives you, gather your friends to register voters at one of the many community events in our city. Lead or participate in a march. Attend political candidate debates. Volunteer on campaigns. Talk to voters about your favorite candidate and why you think he or she should be elected. The list is endless, and you’re certain to find a cause or project that challenges and motivates you to commit to step outside of the classroom, apply your knowledge, grow your civic mindset, become engaged and decide to be a civically committed citizen.

Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward seeing all of your in the community, applying what you’ve learned to affect change. I know there are leaders in this room. There are organizers, and there are impassioned individuals who will find a way to be a civic-minded, engaged and committed member of our community.