ERIC ED332909: Civic Education.

10 Pages·0.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 332 909
SO 021 290
AUTHOR
O'Neil, John
TITLE
Civic Education.
INSTITUTION
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, Alexandria, Va.
PUB DATE
Jan 91
NOTE
10p.
AVAILABLE FROM
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 1250 North Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA
22314-1403 ($1.25).
PUB TYPE
Collected Works - Serials (022)
JOURNAL CIT
ASCD Curriculum Update; Jan 1991
EDRS PRICE
MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.
DESCRIPTORS
*Citizenship Education; Citizenship Responsibility;
*Civics; *Curriculum Development; Elementary
Secondary Education; Public Schools; Social Studies;
Student Participation; Voting
ABSTRACT
Three articles on civic education are included in
this theme issue. "Civic Education: While Democracy
Flourishes
Abroad, U.S. Schools Try to Reinvigorate Teaching of
Citizenship,"
provides an overview of the status of civic education in
the United
States. "Civic Education: Schools Aim to Link Knowledge,
Active
Lessons in Citizenship" features efforts undertaken by
specific
schools and institutions to develop citizenship education
programs.
"Schools Seek to Give Students a Taste of Voting"
examines a project
in Arizona in which some 80,000 students accompanied their
parents to
the polls and cast mock ballots in
an effort to educate the students
about voting and to instill in them the habit of lifelong
voting. A
list of references is included as well as
a resource list of some of
the many programs attempting to boost civic education. (DB)
***** ***** ***********m*************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EnRS are the best that
,:an be made
from the original document.
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CIVIC EDUCATION
Curriculum Update
January 1991
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Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Inuary 1991
1250 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1403
(703) 549,9110
AL
Civic Education:
Is
Whhe Democracy Flourishes Abroad, U.S. Sc
Try to Reinvigorate Teaching of Citizensh:p
By John O'Neil
IL
s the seeds of deinocracy
$
begin to take root around the
globe, most notably in Eastern
Europe, there is growing
concern that students in the United
States leave school with neither
sufficient knowledge about nor the
inclination to act upon the rights and
duties of responsible citizenship here
4"
at home. "It is a crisis and a scandal,"
says John Buchanan, a former U.S.
congressman from Alabama who now
serves as president of the Council for
the Advancement of Citizenship
(CAC) and chairman of People for the
;4,45C'
American Way (PAW). "At a time
1
when we celebrate the bicentennial of
our rich political heritage, we find little
47?
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knowledge [among students] of the
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content of the Constitution or the Bill
%11,
of Rights. And at a time when the
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whole world is in ferment in a
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movement for democracy, we've got
(`,INk4"--
,
record levels of apathy" in the U.S.
toward the everyday workings of
democracy. Concludes Richard Remy,
page 8
COntinued on
7he dismantling of the lierlin Wall has come
"
to symbolize an international appetite _for
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democracy. Many Americans, however have
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become complacent about the rights and
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responstbdities of democratic citizenship.
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some experts contend.
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Civic Education:
Schools Aim to Link Knowledge, Active Lessons in Citizenship
have the power to make change
thhat started four years ago
with the knowledge, skills, and
W
through their knowledge, not with
in Nick Byrne's 5th grade
dispositions to monitor and influence
classroom as a lesson on
super-confrontation," he says.
the public policies that affect their
e First Amendment has In classrooms like Byrne's across
communities, the nation, and the
the U.S., teachers are struggling to
evolved into a student-led effort to
world community"
address the age-old goal of preparing
amend the U.S. Constitution.
A New 'Dark Ag.'
students to be participating citizens in
Byrne, who teaches at Tenakill
Elementary School in Closter, NJ.,
a democracy. In the face of declinirg
Failure to provide effective civic
was teaching about the First
voter turnouts, apathy towfird public
education programs could eventually
Amendment and wanted to help issues, and other signs of an
help to take public decisions out of the
students understand how it applied in
uninterested populace, many feel the
hands of many and place them in the
their lives. So he sent them home with time is ripe for citizenship education to hands of a few, warns Ernest Boyer,
president of the Carnegie Foundation
a weekend assignment to clip re-emerge as a guiding force for
newspapers and search for public
for the Advancement of Teaching.
schools.
issues that caught their interest. As
"For years public schools have
"Unless we find better ways to educate
issued bread statements of their
fate would have it, the weekend papers
ourselves as citizens, America runs the
intention to educate for responsible
were full of stories on the environment
risk of drifting unwittingly into a new
democratic citizenship," says a draft
kind of dark age," Boyer wrote in the
and the problems of pollution and
waste, and the class unanimously
November 1990 Educational
version of CIVITAS, a civic education
adopted the issue. framework being developed by the
Leadership, "a time when specialists
control the decision-making process
Center for Civic Education (CCE) and
Beginning with a letter-writing
campaign to government officials and the Council for the Advancement of
and citizens will be forced to make
the media, students quickly came to
Citizenship (CAC), expected to be
critical decisions, not on the basis of
realize that their letters would yield
what they know, but on the basis of
published this spring. "However
sincere these statements may have
only modest results, says Byrne. So
blind belief in so-called 'experts."
they formed a club called "lUds
been, systematic programs to educate
At the heart of the CIVITAS project
Against Pollution"which proceeded
for civic participation have yet to
(for which Boyer serves as chair of its
to grow into an international network
appear, and no more than a few
national review council) is an effort to
of some 900 students, teachers, and
students ever emerge from schools build student competence in three
parents seeking a saner approach to
environmental waste. For their efforts.
they've racked up an array of awards
and been named by US. News and
World Report as one of the "thousand
points of light," One of their latest
efforts is to offer a pro-environment
amendment to the U.S. Constitution,
r'
and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, jr, from
NewJersey has agreed to sponsor
the plan.
Along the way, says Byrne, the
students have learned a variety of
important (and sophisticated) lessons
about how public issues are debated
and decided. And although the
group's efforts have included boycotts
against merchants using polystyrene
containers (believed to be environ-
mentally harmful), Byrne says
students have also learm d that public
debates are often won by gathering
etc
information and negotiating behind
the scenes, not necessarily by the
Civic learning comes net only from tertbooks, but from active learning experiences. Here, a
adversarial tactics that attract media
high school student testifies at a simulated Congressional hearing as part of a curriculum
interest. "The kids now feel that they
developed by the Center for Civic Education.
111MT PAPV AVAIl ARI C
A
aose up ForNdatiox/R. Bouchard
not giving a damn," she said. She cited
areascivic knowledge and skills,
the example of a teacher who took a
civic participation, and civic virtue.
group of students to a New York City
Many observers feel there is
grocery owned by a Korean merchant
convincing evidence of shortcomings
who was attempting to outlast a
in each of these areas.
prolonged boycott over an alleged
Reports by the National Assessment
racial incident. "That, to me, is as
of Educational Progress in civics have
important as lessons in the history
revealed some troubling gaps in
of justice or of modern democracy,"
students knowledge and skills. For
she said.
example, although the vast majority of
12th graders tested in 1988 could
A Balanced Approach
display a rudimentary knowledge of
civics, only 6 percent could evidence
Effective programs to prepare
"broader and more detailed knowl-
students for informed democratic
edge of the various institutions of
participation must address students'
41
government" (for example, Congress'
civic knowle;:ge, participation, and
power to override presidential vetoes)
virtue simultaneouslya tricky
and a "more elaborated under-
balance that some believe is typically
standing" of a range of political
the exception rather than the rule.
processes (such as the role of plimary
Many civics programs are grounded
elections and public opinion polls).
in the didactic teaching of govern-
Further, relatively few schools have
me*,ial functions without giving
as a primary goal that students should
students u chance to experience civic
learn the skills needed to participate
dehate; others offer occasional
effectively as citizens in a democracy.
chances for participation but don't
That lack has resulted, some believe,
ensure that students master the
in young (and older) adults who don't
knowledge and skills required to
see the functions that testifying at a
inform that participation. The
town meeting, volunteering to help
developers of CIVITAS argued over
senior citizens, or casting a ballot in a
the ordering of the three organizers in
public election have in ensuring the
the K-12 framework, but each part is
civic health of our democracy. Schools
essential to an effective, cohesive
"don't really develop a realistic view of
program, says Diane Eisenberg.
the political system and how students
Learning fiisthand about Polities, as in this
former executive director of the CAC.
program sponsored by the Close up
can have an impact on it," says
Supported by a $1-million grant
Foundation, is a basic part of civic
Charles Quigley, CCE's executive
from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
education.
director.
CIVITAS is the result of two years of
"The way civics has been organized
work by a framework development
such problems as juvenile crime and
over the years is essentially a
committee, a teacher advisory
high dropout rates can be traced back
descriptive view of public life
committee, and a national review
toamong other factorsa sense
the lives of mayors, governors, the
council (which includes ASCD
among young people that they are
president, and so on," adds Joseph
Executive Director Gordon Ctwelti).
disconnected from the core values
Julian, director of civic education at
When published, it will provide a
that characterize community. "Many
the Syracuse University Maxwell
guide to curriculum developeis and
our young people lack a sense of 6* ic
School ot Citizenship and Public
textbook publishers for planning civic
responsibility, a sense of a commit-
Affairs. "Very little attention has been
education programs. "We hope that
ment to basic core va!ues tha; we
given to what the role of the citizen is
the state departments of education,
hold important," he says.
in all of this." As a result, he says,
especially, that are responsible for
Students need to be taught how to
students "are conditioned to think of
curriculum frameworks which have
balance private with public good, and
citizens as being observers, not as
the most influence on textbook
they need to learnand care about
policymakers."
adoptions will be interested" in usiog
problems such as poverty and
Finally, the notion of civic virtue
CIVITAS, says Quigley.
homelessness, Maxine Greene of
proposed by CIVITAS, some believe,
Quigley compares CIVITAS to
Teachers College, Columbia
addresses a vital concern not reflected
:.fforts of the American Bar
University, told participants at a
enough in school curriculums or
Association to bring experts together,
curriculum conference convened by
society at large. Richard Remy,
develop model penal codes, and make
ASCD last summer. "One of the most
associate director of the Mershon
them available to various states and
frightening things I see in schools
is
...
Center at Ohio State University. says
ASCU Cul ticultim Update
V3',
r .s(sc,
61 v., i,
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te,4
participatory experiences requires
strong element of practical civil
jurisdictions. CIVITAS, too, brought
experiencereal participation and
that they learn the civic knowledge
together experts from many fields to
reach a consensus on the attributes of
and skills they would likely be asked
empowerment."
to learn in a traditional curriculum.
effective citizenship and how
In New York State, for example,
curriculums might te organized to
After studying environmental issues
schools have looked to a variety of
help students become good citizens.
firsthand, his pupils often "became
sources to fulfill a new state
requirement that all students take a
Although the framework proposes
more knowledgeable than the people
scope and sequence, goals, and
they were talking to," he says.
one-semester "participation in
government" course before
objectives for civic education, it is not
graduation (usually during the senior
a complete curriculum but instead
Sense of Hopelessness
should serve as a point of departure year). The aim of the requirement is
For a variety of reasonsranging
for curriculum deliberations, its
to bridge "the gulf between knowing
from changes in the ways public
the structures and functions of
developers assert. "This is not a
issues are debated to the realities of
national curriculum that's being
government and being able to
overcrowded and undersupported
inflicted on teachers," says Eisenberg.
participate within it as a citizen," says
classroomsmany schools encounter
Kenneth Wade, chief of the state
difficulties in attempting to put into
education department's social studies
Push for Participation
practice the ideas outlined in CIVITAS
bureau. Students in some schools, he
and other reports on civic education.
adds, are serving as interns in political
While experts agree that civics
One important reason young people
campaigns and participating in
programs need to continue to
sometimes appear indifferent to demo-
community service projects, among
emphasize knowledge and skills,
cratic participation is the same one
other activities,
much of the attention in the field is
that adults cite: inany Americans feel
Syracuse University's Julian, who
being directed toward expanding
they can't make a difference. With the
helped to develop a course to fulfill the
opportunities for student participation.
advent of PACs, innumerable
New York graduation requirement,
"If the point were just to get students
"specialists" of every stripe, and
says students learn how to study
to mature into voters who watch
misleading political campaigns, it's as
issues and policies and then apply the
television news diligently and pull a
difficult for students and teachers as
methoes they've learned to a local
voting machine lever every few years.
for the public at large to make sense
issue. "Students seem to enjoy the
tradifional civics courses would
of complex public issues. "I think
process of examining local issues
suffice," reasons Benjamin Barber,
the:e's a feeling of hopelessness
because it gives them a sense that
director of the Whitman Center for
aroonj young people, and also among
they're shaping the public discussion
Culture and Politics at Rutgers
adults, about their ability to make a
of those issues," he says. Materials
University. "But if student5 are to
difference in the democratic process,"
developed at Syracuse are being used
become actively engaged in public
says Donna Fowler, issues director for
with 25,000 students statewide, he
forms of thinking and participate
People for the American Way.
said.
thoughtfully in the whole spectrum of
Stephen Janger, president of the
Byrne, the Closter, NJ., teacher,
civic activities, then civic education
Close Up Foundation (a group that
stresses that involving students in
and social studies programs require a
Continued on page 6
DreT PIM AVAIl ARI
Schools Seek to Give Students a Taste of Voting
director for People for the American
the same dtes they would go to as
Iast Election Day, many
Way (PAW), wonders "how low we
adult voters, Hawker says. The
Arizona voters took more
program builds awareness among
have to see the rates go before we
than their opinions to the
1 pollsthey took their kids.
participating families about political
get worried." PAW, a group based in
issues, she says, and it's not
Washington, D.C., recently
Or maybe it was the kids who took
commissioned a study to examine
uncommon to find students
the parents.
prepping their parents on some of
how young people feel about
As part of a statewide project
the issues or candidates.
citizenship, participation, and social
dubbed "Kids Voting," the only one
responsibility According to the
of its kind in the nation, some 80,000
Alarming Indifference
study of more than 1000 15- to
students went with their parents to
24-year-olds, only 12 percent
the polls, casting their ballots at
Programs to help students learn
believed that voting was an
special stations set up in each
and get excited about voting are
important part of citizenship.
precinct. In preparation, their
desperately needed, experts
Fowler says that schools can do
schools had designed activities for
several things to increase the
students of all ages, teaching
likelihood that students will cast
students the rights and respon-
their ballots when they reach voting
sibilities of being informed voters
age, including teaching them the
and th,- mechanics of the election
importance of voting and "making
process. "Our intention iF, to create
sure that every eligible high school
lifelong voters," says Marilyn
senior is regist.:red to vote." In Dade
Hawker, president and executive
County, Fla., br example, the
,:irector of Kids Voting.
district has registered more than 95
If it weren't for a chance
encounter between three percent of eligible students through
a program in which students can
businessmen and a cab driver in
sign up in their social studies classes.
Costa Rica, Kids Voting might not
even exist. The businessmen
In places like Arizona, tLe effort to
boost students' interest in voting
Robert Evans, Max Jennings, and
Charles Walheimwent to Costa
couldn't have come at a better time.
Arizona has a poor track record on
Rica several years ago on a fishing
WES.
trip and wound up being tipped off
voter participation, ranking 42nd
..airiftaimowen
nationally in voter turnout for the
by a local cab driver on the secret to
Costa Rica's extraordinary voter
1988 presidential election. But
IqEs
turnout (at 80-90 percent, the
proponents say the Kids Voting
program has the potential to change
highest of any democratic nation).
icatif THIS
One of the keys, he told the trio, is
that. In addition to sparking interest
that children accompany their
among would-be voters not yet of
parents to the polls from an early
Students who cast ballots in mot+ elections
age, the program may help to draw
may be more likely to vote as adu'ts.
age and cast their own special
registered voters to the polls: a
ballots at the polling place. Upon
study of the program's 1988 pilot
their return, the businessmen
project found a 3-percent boost in
contend. Of all the alarming signs
helped launch the Kids Voting
voter tuirnout in participating
regarding the civic participation of
program with a pilot project in the
precincts. Hawker says Kids Voting
young people, perhaps none worries
Phoenix area for the 1988 general
is presently seeking sponsors,
experts more than their failure to
election, and the program went
hoping to become a national project.
vote. The percentage of young
statewide last fall.
For more information, contact:
Although numerous "mock adults who vote has declined
elections" are held across the U.S.
steadily since 18-year-olds gained
Kids Voting
that right in 1972. Although some
each Election Day, Kids Voting is the
604 W. McKellips Rd.
only program in which students
experts stress that choosing to vote
Mesa, AZ 85201
study a voting-centered curriculum,
is only one part of democratic
602/969-5046.
register to participate, and vote at
participation, Donna Fowler, issues
7
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
ASCD Curriculum Update
page 4
internship or service project.
reform civic education throughout the
Continued from
Finally, a revamped pngratn for
society, using this resource as a
promotes citizenship education
citizenship will encounter the daily
platform from which to build."
programs) says last fall's national
realities facing teachers: overcrowded
Whatever the success of CIVITAS
budget fiasco is a case study on how
classes, lack of parental support, and
or other efforts to boost student& civic
difficult it is to follow public policy
students who may rarely read
competence, global events are
issues, let alone particfpate more fully
newspapers, or who come to school
providing regular reminders of why
in them. "Politically, people went back
malnourished or abused, notes
democratic government requires
and forth so often, with the White
Fowler. "When teachers see that, the
better-informed and participating
House changing its mind, and
idea of teaching kids about voting, or
citizens. Jan Urban, a Czechoslovakian
Republicans voting with D.entocrz+s,
about participation in the community,
teacher who lost his job in 1977 as one
and Democrats voting with
must seem ludicrous."
of two teachers who refused to sign a
Republicans, that maybe only
government statement condemning a
Congressional staff really knew what
Sparking Change
human rights group, spent the next 10
was going on," he says. If I were an
years employed as a stable hand, a
Those involved with the develop-
18-year-old, I might walk away from
forklift driver, a construction helper,
ment of CIVITAS, however, believe
the whole thing in disgust."
and a bricklayer.
the framework can help spark change
Moreover, involving students in
Fresh from his work organizing
that will overcome some of these
debating issues such as U.S.
Civic Forum (a pro-democracy group)
obstacles. Eisenberg says she expects
involvement in the Persian Gulf or
during the 1989 revolution in Prague,
CIVITAS will have ''great ramifications
the relative merits of allowing a
Urban last fall told participants at a
for the way that civics will be taught"
controversial group a public forum is
conference sponsored by the U.S.
in the years ahead. And Quigley notes
considerably harder for teachers than
Education Department that Americans
that until this project, "nothing had
giving a lecture or assigning material
must not forget that democracy
been done as rigorously or compre-
in a textbook, some experts say. James
functions only with the sustained
hensively" to provide teachers and
Leming of Southern Illinois University
involvement of its people. "That
curriculum developers with a clear
notes that teachers "are under
beautiful right given by democracy,
description of what might be done to
incredible pressure to cover content."
the right not to care" can only be kept,
help students become better citizens.
Opening up the classroom as a forum
paradoxically, through an informed,
Adds John Buchanan, president of
to have students debate controversial
active citizenry, he said.
CAC: "What we hope to do is to help
issues sometimes ends up taking a
back seat. "Teachers I know have
taken six months just to establish a
climate" where informed debate can
b,
take place, he adds,
Others note that given the tendency
for assessment to drive instruction,
programs will continue to focus on
basic content more than nands-on
experiences in participation. "It's
much more difficult to assess if a
young person's got the [requisite]
skills to engage in consensus building
or conflict management to lobby the
city council to nuild a playground at
4th and Green streets" than whether
that student has mastered some
isolated facts about civics, Remy
observes.
Further, Remy questions whether
schools, as opposed to other
vberff
institutions, are even in a very good
position to teach students about
vt
coalition-building or effective
lobbying. It may be, he says, that
et:
.
I 4
schools should focus on cognitive
4,Nlia.,__ovAltiv"Itix
skills and knowledge and allow
students to learn participation skills in
Using newspapers in the classroom is a practical and effective way to help students
other waysfor example, through an
prepare to debate the issues.
References
In addition to interviews, the author drew upon the following resources:
Anderson, Lee, et al. (1990).
for Participation in a Strong
Educational Leadership
The Civics
48, 3: 4-7.
Card. Princeton, NJ.: National
Democracy."
Report
Social Education
People for the American Way. (1989).
Assessment of Educational Progress.
53: 355-356, 370.
Democracy's Next Generation: A Study of
Washington, D.C.:
Youth and Teachers.
Barber, Benjamin R. (October 1989).
Boyer, Ernest L (November 1990). "Civic
People for the American Way.
"Public Talk and Civic Action: Education
Education for Responsible Citizens."
Resources
The following resource list is a sampling of the many programs attempting to boost civic educatio»:
General Information
Programs/Materials for Schools
Foreign Policy Association
American Newspaper Publishers
ACCESS: A Security Information Service
1726 M St., N.W., Ste. 800
Association Foundation
1730 M St., N.W., Ste. 605
Washington, DC 20036
Washington, DC 20036
PO. Box 17407 Dulles Airport
202/293-0046
202/785-6630
Washington, DC 20041
Great Decisions
Publishes the annual
Helps concerned citizens find the best
Provides information on contact persons
briefing book, which contains 8 current U.S.
resources availableacross the political
at newspapers in your region that offer
foreign policy issues ($10.00), plus an
spectrumon issues like arms control,
programs on using newspapers for
activity book containing activities for each
foreign policy, regional conflicts, and the
educational purposes. Write Betty Sullivan
topic ($11.00), and a bibliography For
economic aspects of global security. Offers
at the above address.
more information, contact Mary Soley.
an inquiry service, speaker referral service,
briefing papers, and guides to resource ; and
Center for Civic Education
foundations.
National Institute for Citizen Education
5146 Douglas Fir Rd.
in the Law
Calabasas, CA 91302
711 G St., S.E.
American Federation of Teachers
818/340-9320
Washington, DC 20003
555 New Jersey Ave.
Offers a variety of civics-related
202/546-6644
Washington. DC 20001
curriculum materials, as well as an annual
202/879-4400
Provides curriculum development, teacher
national competition on the U.S.
Has
training, and technical assistance to new
an international project on teaching
(onstitution and the Bill of Rights.
and established law-related education
about democracy; publications include a
programs, and produces many publications,
review of textbooks and how they teach
Close Up Foundation
including textbooks and a newsletter
democracy.
1235 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
National Issues Forums
1-800-356-5136
Council for the Advancement of
100 Commons Dr.
Provides a variety of publications on
Citizenship
Dayton, OH 45459-2777
current events and other issues, a
1724 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
vidco/textbook instructional package, and
Provides materials and study guides for
Washington, DC 20036
television programming through C-Span.
the examination of important public issues
202/857-0580
Also offers an annual "Citizen Bee" contest,
by students or adults. Also offers a
85
A consortium of
national and regional
a civic achievement awards pmgram, and a
"Participation in Government" curriculum
organizations dedicated to the teaching (#.
week-long Washington, 1).C.. seminar for
for schools.
citizenship, CAC has an array of
students and educators.
clearinghouse services and programs.
A Presidential Classroom for Young
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Americans
National Council for the Social Studies
601 S. Kingsley Dr.
441 N. Lee St.
3501 Newark St., N.W.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Alexandria, VA 22314-2346
Washington, DC 20016
213/487-5590
1-800-441-6533
202/966-7840
Provides technical assistance, teacher
Students attending the Presidential
Provides information on how to join a
training, and curriculum materials in the
Classroom in Washington, D.C.. learn
national network of educators involved in
areas of law-related education, pull:
about government firsthand through an
civic
education, and information about
leadership, and youth community service
array of seminars with political leaders.
regional meetings 4state councils for the
programs. Contact Todd Clark or Kathleen
social studies. Contact Dawn Marie Warfle.
Kirby.
January 1991
ASCD Cum Orkin) Update
Civic Education
Continued from page 1
associate director of Ohio State
unwilling to take part in community- grades K-12, CIVITAS places equal
importance on civic knowledge and
building activities that are the central
University's Mershon Center: "There
is a deep malaise in citizenship skills, civic participation, and civic
components of civic participation.
For example, the percentage of
education K-12 right now."
virtue. It is expected to be published
this spring.
Hardly anyone, if asked the purpose
American 18- to 24-year-olds voting in
presidential elections has never
Civic educators also are pleased
of the common public school, would
with the recent passage of the
topped the 50-percent mark, lags 20
fail to prominently mention its duty
to help prepare students to be
percent behind the rate for those over
National and Community Service Act
age 25, and has declined since
of 1990, which authorizes more than
participating citizens. Yet some
experts believe that far too 'bony
$280 million over three years. Among
18-year-olds were enfranchised in
other features, the Act will help to
schools lose sight of that aim
1972. Further, Democracy's Next
Generation, the results of a survey
somewhere between reading, math,
establish part-time community service
completed at PAW's request, suggests programs for young adults through
faculty meetings, and Friday night
that many young adults have an
football games. "On the one hand,
schools or community organizations,
a focus bound to help raise students'
incomplete view of responsible
citizenship education is up there in
citizenship: they generally equate
neon lights," says James Leming of
civic knowledge, awareness, and
being a good citizen with being a
commitment. Experts say such
Southern Illinois University. But the
good person. "To them, citizenship is
programs are vital to ensuring an
worthy goal of education for effective
more about compassion and practice
citizenship often ends up translated
informed and participating citizenry.
of the 'golden rule' than about voting
into dry lessons on 'How a Bill
As Buchanan puts it: "We have to
Becomes Law.' "It's not taught in an
or taking part in national affairs," the
reinvest our entire society in the high
report says.
engaging, connected way," says Todd
office of citizen."
Many experts are counting on
Clark, executive director of the
Constitutional Rights Foundation.
projects such as CIVITAS, a joint
"There's more attention to theory and
venture of CAC and the Center for
Ahead with CIVITAS
structure as opposed to practice and
Civic Education with funding from the
CIVITAS is expected to be published
action." When schools are ineffective
Pew Charitable Trusts, to help turn
in March 1991. No price had been set
in teaching students the knowledge
the Ode. The project, its proponents
for the framework as this Curriculum
say, represents the most compre-
and values required for civic
Update went to press. However, the
participation, the consequences are
hensive effort to date to spell out what
Council for the Advancement of
graduates prepared for a lifetime of
readily apparent. According to
Citizenship is keeping an adv9.:Ice list
statistics and anecdotal evidence, a
meaningful citizenship might look
of persons interested in CIV1TAS. For
disquieting number of young adults
like, and how schools might organize
more information, write CAC, 1724
don't bother to vote, are unprepared to
to make developing such students
Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington,
DC20036.
possible. A curriculum framework for
join in public policy debates, or are
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