Implement better civic education into the school systems

Why is this important

What are law makers saying about the issue?i
What is already being done
To The U.S Department of Education
Secretary Betsy DeVos
400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Washington, D.C

There is an issue that is become more prevalent every day, and needs to be addressed. Civic
education in public schools is at a bare minimum, and millennials who are supposed to be
leading the next generation cannot even answer a simple government related question.

I am currently a freshman at Penn State University, and this year I participated in my first
election. I did not take a real government class until my senior year of high school, only a couple
months prior to the first time I could vote. Even this one particular class was not serious enough
that I needed it to graduate. With not knowing which news sources to trust, and what certain
policies meant, I felt very unprepared when it was finally time to vote. At first I blamed my
Philadelphia Public School education for not informing me enough on the subject, but when I
entered the college world with students of all different races and social backgrounds, I realized I
was not alone amongst my peers. The majority of us never received a sufficient civics class
throughout our twelve years of education prior to this university.

I am writing you this letter in hopes to change the education system. There are many new
proposals already in place, such as at what age students should start learning about civics, and
also how the subject is taught. As young as elementary school, more engaging activities are
being brought into classrooms, such as online interactive games or hands on community
service.

I am proposing a bill to be passed to enforce Civic education as a mandatory subject in public

schools. Other states should possibly even follow the example of Ohio and Virginia, where
passing a standard civics test is required to graduate. These changes will encourage young
adults to be more interested in politics, both local and national, and be more knowledgeable on
the American government. All students should be able to turn at 18 and be excited to enter the
voting booth, rather than just feeling unprepared and confused.

Thank you for your time,

A concerned and engaged citizen,
Chelsea Tepel
 The Issue: - I am going to make the
There are many recent
assumption that the answer to
discussions about how many
the last question is probably
American students are uneducated
not.
on civics and the American

Government, and therefore are

The truth is that most young
misinformed when it comes to
Americans do not know much at all
elections.
about their government, whether
Lack of Education
that on a local or national level. They
How old were you when you
either do not care, do not feel like the
first learned about the American
choice affects them, or do not get the
government? Was it maybe the three
educated needed to ensure they can
branches, or how many years a
fulfill their civic duty. Unfortunately,
president can be in office for? After
the meme of Donald Trump on your
learning this information, did you feel
twitter feed is not enough to inform
prepared to make an argument for
young adults on which candidate
your favorite candidate, or even
appeals to them more.
know the date of your local election?
 Citizenship test:

Thirty-nine U.S states require

that high school students to take at

least one course in the U.S

government and civics before

graduating. However, is this one class

There is more to the argument than by the time students are already

democrats being soft liberals and reaching the voting age enough?

conservatives being white racists. I According to the Center for

am proposing to implement a better Information and Research on Civic

civic education throughout the Learning and Engagement, only eight

twelve-year education system. So, states have standardized tests on

when your child is 18 and about to civics1 and U.S. government at the

vote, they are not trying to high school level. Out of those

remember the four branches they already minimal eight states, only

learned in 5th grade and remember two, Ohio and Virginia, require

what they saw in their Facebook post students pass these tests in order to

last week. graduate.

1
 generation leading our country. It

may not seem like there is a direct

correlation between the U.S

citizenship test and voting. However,

how is a child supposed to fully

understand the policies of their next

leader, if they do not understand the

As much as many students debate basic fundamental of government.

the topic of immigration, as of 2014,

only about of high schoolers were

even able to score proficient on the

immigration federal exam. This tests

asks basic questions like who was

our first president? and what do we

call the first 10 amendments in the

constitution?
Why It Matters
It is very sad to know that the
Why should we care about this
majority of high schoolers cannot
issue? Just to list a few reasons:
pass this test, yet they are the next
 1. Less young people are voting Americas millennials

now than ever before. considered themselves

o This is because they are to be politically

disengaged and engaged and active.

disconnected. According This is down from

to the ABA journal 25% just four

students also are less years earlier in

interested in public or preparation for

political issues than were the 2012 election.

previous generations, o When asked how closely

and they exhibit gaps in they were following the

their knowledge of 2016 campaign, only 46

fundamental democratic % said they were

principles and somewhat. While that

processes. (aba journal) number may seem high,

o According to Harvards2 that is still 52 % said they

2015 Institute of Politics were not at all.

study, only 20% of

2
 2. Many young Americans also saw that on the news

want no part in politics, last night is not enough

because they believe it to be of a reliable source. The

too corrupt and messy. current millennials are

o A Harvard studied the least government

explained that only a trusting generation yet.

small percentage of less It isnt that young people

than of youth thinks do not care about the

pursuing a job in politics country, but it is more

is an honorable thing to that millennials would

do. The other 66 or so rather volunteer and

percent believe donate money so they

politicians only serve for can see where it is

a selfish agenda. actually helping, rather

o Growing up in an age of than trusting big

social media, where politicians.

everything is fact o 83 percent3 of

checked, just saying I millennials said that if

3
Americans volunteered how important the

more time and money to government

community groups and actually is.

charitable organizations, 3. There is also a very wide gap of

it would make life better the amount of people who

around them. vote in the general election

With this mindset, and the midyear elections. The

there is no need majority of people know every

for a big four years there is a

government presidential election, and that

where many also happens to be the election

decisions and a majority of people vote for.

transactions are This is because the general

made behind election is greatly advertised

closed doors. This for months, with campaigning

is one more and news stations nonstop

necessary reason discussing it. Local and

the youth needs to midterm elections however,

be informed of which still have a great impact

 on young people's lives, are

much less attended by the

mass public because they are

less publicized and less

popular. 4
4. There is also what is now being
a. For example, in 2008,
called the civic achievement
57.1% of the voting age
gap which is the growing gap
population voted in the
of the knowledge of civics
election, when Obama
between wealthy, white, native
won. Two years later in
born, and poor, nonwhite,
2010, only 36.9% of
immigrant youth. This problem
eligible voters voted, and
goes back to the public school
in 2012 the number
education system.
bounced right back up to
What Is Currently Being Done?
53.7%.
There are already several

programs in place because both

educators and policy makers from

4
small districts to the U.S Board of 2. The skills necessary to

Education see this as a major issue. participate as competent and

CIRCLE5, which was previously responsible citizens

mentioned, takes civic data on young 3. The willingness to use

Americans, and recommends how to democratic procedures for

make improvements with their making decisions and

findings. For example, they provide managing conflict.

media outlets with the most recent There is also a program in place

data on youth engagement, so they called iCivics, which is a very neat

can report on the role of young adults program that teaches civics a

in everyday life. different way. Rather than using a

There is also The Nonprofit textbook, the website is full of

Center for Civic Education which has interactive games to experience

3 specific goals for students which real life government.

include:

1. Increased understanding of

the institutions of

constitutional democracy,

5
 The individual boxes say What Is Being Done?

categories like: While there are many current

We The Jury changes occurring, they are not

Drafting Board making any significant changes. Laws

Executive Demand need to be passed in order for this to

Do I Have a Right? happen. Some lawmakers are

Supreme Decision proposing these following bills.

6
The activities range from - In the House, Republican

elementary school, middle school, Representative Bruce Chandler

and high school. The method of Granger, and Democratic

seems to work as students have representative of Seattle

been shown to continue playing introduced a bill requiring high

the games one they arrived home. school students to pass a 35/50

The game puts students into real questions of the Civics

life experience so they can a clear Citizenship Test in order to

understanding of politics past a graduate.

textbook and into the real world. - In the Senate, a republican

senator is attempting to tax

6
 political campaigns in order to among Americans about what a

use the money to teach civics. democracy is and how its supposed

- Senate Bill 5236 was created in to work.

order to unite public schools

with foundations to increase Where is the money going? 8

civic participation. This is America has one of the highest

known as the Civic Learning education budgets in the entire

Public- Private Partnership. world. Federal funding has increased

However, none of these are enforced by insanely since the early 2000s.

because of these bills are still all With all of this funding, how is our

currently in the process of being country still so behind than the rest

passed. of the world? In 2002 the country

THE ABA7 (American Bar Association) spent 50 billion dollars on funding

President, Stephen Zack, has made education. As of 2009, this number

improving civic education in America surged to 97 billion dollars.

one of his top priorities. He explains

that our future is being threatened

by a basic lack of understanding

7 8
 It is not just American civics we are

lacking on, but the youth knows

almost nothing about what is

happening in other countries.

According to a Pew Research Poll on

American knowledge, only 36 percent

of Americans could name the

The money is divided into different
President of Russia. All of this
programs, the biggest being helping
information is imperative to know in
to fund low income students and
the fast social media connected
special education programs. 9 % of
world, yet the youth today are more
the spending is left in the other
clueless than ever.
category. Because of the No Child
What The Data Shows:
Left Behind law, all money has been
- Older citizens know more civic
being poured into STEM subjects,
information than younger
such as math and science, neglecting
ones.
any other subjects helpful to students
o 15% of 18-29 year olds
like music and social studies.
are amongst the most

informed third of the

 public, while 43 % of Now What?

those 65 and older are There is immediate need to

amongst the most enforce better civic education into

informed of the third of schools. Students should not have to

the public. 9 wait until they are 18 to first learn

about the U.S government.

Students should also be taught in a

way where they are interested. They

- Wealthy households know need to understand that whether or

more than those who come not they care about politics, these

from poorer households. everyday decisions affect their lives,

9
whether that be for their mayor, This issue effects all of us. So

governor, or the President of the what can you do?

United States. In no way am I saying - Teachers: Educate your

Americans should have to know a students on important every

certain standard of information in day material pass the

order to vote, because that would go textbooks, so they can

against basic American freedoms. complete their civic duty.

However, students should be able to - Parents: Encourage your

pass the basic American civics test, as children to read the paper,

well as know which news they can watch the news, and stay

trust, past their Facebook and twitter updated with what is

feeds. The number of voters will happening in the political

continue to get lower, and the voting world around you.

gaps between generations will - Students: No matter your age,

continue to grow is this issue is not civics affects you. New laws

improved and civic education and new electors affect your

continues to be pushed to the side. education, like college tuition,

your health, like your insurance

What Can You Do? plan, and anything as small to a

 new town stop sign to the - Who will we vote for?

country going to war. Continue - Will we pursue a career

to write letters to your local or education in politics?

officials and lawmakers to - What changes wil we

prioritize this issue. vote for or make in the

- Lawmakers: Keep pushing new next 10 and 20 years?

laws until there is finally a - WE cannot make these

change in the public school very important decisions

education curriculum. without the proper

The millennials are the current education.

generation making decisions.

End Notes

i
Fleming, Nora. "Civic Education Found Lacking in Most States." Education
Week - Curriculum Matters. N.p., 10 Oct. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

ii
"The Institute of Politics at Harvard University." Harvard IOP Fall 2015 Poll |
The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. Harvard IOP, 10 Dec. 2015.
Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

iii
"When It Comes to Politics, Do Millennials Care About Anything?" The
Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.
iv
DeSilver, Drew. "Voter Turnout Always Drops off for Midterm Elections, but
Why?" Pew Research Center. N.p., 24 July 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

v CIRCLES MISSION." CIRCLE RSS. CIRCLE, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017

vi
Cornfield, Jerry, Noah Haglund, Diana Hefley, and Eric Stevick. "Lawmakers
Are Pushing Bills to Expand Civics Education." HeraldNet.com. N.p., 08 Feb.
2017. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

vii
Hansen, Mark. "Flunking Civics: Why America's Kids Know So Little." ABA
Journal. N.p., 01 May 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

viii
Camera, Lauren. "Federal Education Funding: Where Does the Money Go?"
USNEWS.com. N.p., 14 Jan. 2016. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.
ix
Heimlich, Russell. "Public Knowledge of Current Affairs Little Changed by
News and Information Revolutions." Pew Research Center for the People and
the Press. N.p., 15 Apr. 2007. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.