Teaching Civics: The Big Game of Hot Potato
No one wants to do it — and we all lose
In a recent guest article published by The New York Times, Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences Dean, Debra Satz, and Professor Dan Edelstein describe on the role of colleges in the ongoing political cultural battles. They suggest that universities have shirked their duty to prepare students for active civic participation, either by choice or due to legal constraints following state law changes. Their conclusion underscores the need for a renewed commitment to civic education within college campuses — an idea that many can support.
Though colleges undeniably bear a responsibility in nurturing the democratic spirit, a bigger game of hot potato has been in the works for decades, with various institutions seeking to deflect the burden of imparting civic knowledge to our youth.
The disinclination of higher education to embrace this duty is not necessarily a deliberate choice but rather a consequence of evolving educational trends over the past three decades. Colleges and universities have been more narrowly focused on preparing students for specific jobs and careers, focusing on metrics like return on investment (ROI) and the needs of the evolving economy. This is all different than the academy of yesteryear that sought to more explicitly push students to think broadly about different fields and come away from college prepared to understand themselves better, but not necessarily how to do a specific type of work. This shift in focus has made it harder for colleges to include broader lessons about how our government works and how we can be responsible citizens — because those lessons don’t land jobs.
Simultaneously, the landscape within high schools has evolved, further diminishing their capacity to fulfill this vital role. The relentless pressure to prepare students for standardized college entrance exams and heavier STEM curricula has devoured hours that might have been dedicated to civic education. Additionally, educators face an increasingly daunting prospect of parental backlash when broaching politically charged topics in the classroom. This challenge has been further compounded by legislative changes in states, which restrict educators from discussing certain political topics.
Moreover, there exists no universal framework to reach the roughly one million high school graduates each year who opt not to pursue higher education. Indicative of this, 18–24 year olds who don’t pursue college are the least likely to vote.
So, who remains to shoulder this responsibility? Who can reach our 16 to 18-year-olds before they assume their roles as newly enfranchised citizens?
Parents.
While it would be ideal for schools to lead this charge, the current landscape renders that option unfeasible. If we aspire to cultivate a stronger democracy and a more robust civic culture, we must turn inward and recognize that the onus rests on us, as parents. If we want a better democracy and a society where people understand how things work, parents must step up and teach their kids about these things.
And many times — that means we must do better at learning and listening ourselves.
This endeavor need not be daunting, but it does require intention. Many parents themselves lack the necessary understanding of political and governmental processes, having been raised in environments where political discussions were deemed impolite, and institutions often shielded them from such conversations. All parents don’t have to become political scholars or historians of the United States. However, there are five fundamental topics that parents should comprehend and be willing to discuss with their children:
Registering to Vote: This is different in every state, so young adults need to know how to do it when they move away from home.
Primaries vs. General Elections: Most elections occur at lower levels of government and in many of those elections the pivotal decisions happen in primary elections — not general elections. To get better local and state politics, young voters need to understand when and how to participate in these elections.
Federalism: A grasp of federalism clarifies the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government, enabling young voters to recognize the impact of politics closer to home.
Constitutional Basics: While not everyone needs to be a constitutional scholar, a working knowledge of the branches of government and their functions is essential.
These four foundational pieces of knowledge prepare young adults for the most important skill of all: having difficult conversations. As our children step into the world as active citizens, they must be adept at respectful discussions, seeking alternative viewpoints, researching issues, and finding common ground.
And if I can add a bonus request — it would be to stop solely focusing on the negative aspects of politics and politicians when talking about the matter to and in front of children. Excessive cynicism and disillusionment dissuade our children from taking an interest in political matters or considering careers in politics. Despite the real frustrations in the political realm, we must instill hope in our children, showcasing the positive power of politics as a means of collective decision-making.
The revitalization of civic education is not solely the responsibility of colleges but a collective endeavor that begins within our homes. We must take it upon ourselves to ensure that the next generation of citizens is well-prepared to wield their power within our democracy. This starts with us teaching them the basics. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s essential for the future of our democracy.
