Support Civics Education Initiative

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said “The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation of citizens.” National studies have shown that we are failing in this responsibility.

Consider the following, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress only 24 percent of U.S. high school students are proficient in civics. Studies by the Annenberg Public Policy Center has shown that a third of U.S. citizens cannot name even one branch of our federal government. Additionally less than half of the public can name a single Supreme Court Justice, while only 15 percent can correctly name John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States. Yet two-thirds of Americans (66 percent) know at least one of the judges on the FOX television show American idol.

America has a civic learning crisis which ultimately puts our Republic at risk. So what is to be done?

A bipartisan effort is underway in both the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate with the introduction of the Civics Education Initiative for Pennsylvania. House Bill 564 cosponsored by Karen Bobak (R117) and Bill Kortz (D38) and a companion bill in the Senate cosponsored by John Rafferty (R44) and Andy Dinniman (D19) will require high school seniors to pass a test on 100 basic facts from the U.S. Citizenship Civics Test. This is the same test immigrants applying for U.S. Citizenship must pass.

Similar legislation has been adopted and signed into law in 17 states.

While not a panacea for our dearth of knowledge in civics, the effort helps ensure that civics education is given renewed emphasis in curriculum and study for our schools students. Just as educators have brought STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education forward to prepare students for the job market, civics education needs a similar focus if we are to prepare students to be productive, engaged citizens, the civic leaders of tomorrow. No matter what educational or career path students may take following graduation, they will be citizens of our state and nation eligible to vote and participate in civic activities. Will they be ready?

The Civics Education Initiative for Pennsylvania simply ensures that all students learn the basics of U.S. government and history required in the public school code. Please encourage your state representative and senator to support the Civics Education Initiative.

— David W. Woods. Executive Director, Engaged Citizenship