THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

Our form of government has become so convoluted and complex, along with Civic education (the study of the theoretical, political and practical aspects of citizenship, as well as its rights and duties) is not being included in high school or college curricula, and is highly contributory toward the destruction of the American democracy, as we have known it. 

One of the primary reasons our nation’s founders envisioned a vast public education system was to prepare youth to be active participants in our system of self-government. The responsibilities of each citizen were assumed to go far beyond casting a vote; protecting the common good would require developing students’ critical thinking and debate skills, along with strong civic virtues.

Until the 1960s, it was common for American high school students to have three separate courses in civics and government. But civics offerings were slashed as the curriculum narrowed over the ensuing decades, and lost further ground to “core subjects” under the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act of 2002) era, standardized testing regime.

In the most recent (2010) Department of Education National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Civics Assessments, 36% of students scored “below basic” in their knowledge of civics.  Basic knowledge for 12th graders is defined as having:“…an understanding of what is meant by civil society, constitutional government, and politics. 

All American students should know that constitutional governments can take different forms, and they should understand the fundamental principles of American constitutional government and politics, including functions of political parties and other organizations. They should understand both rights and responsibilities in a democratic society, and they should recognize the value of political participation. 

They should be familiar with international issues that affect the United States.”