Monfredo: “Stressing More Civics in Our Schools ” - Recommended by Board of Education
Sunday, June 28, 2015
In all of our high schools students need to understand how basic American civics work, and how government works for if they don’t we can’t expect them to vote. Thus, they will not take part in policy decisions that affect our cities, our state and our nation. Young adults have the worse voting record and that needs to change.
According to a new report co-authored by Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor William Damon, “With its focus on professional skills and the know-how to pass state tests, the U.S. educational system is falling down on its job to help young people become vital members of society.”
The report says that civics involves more than just facts about democracy, citizenship, government and global concerns. Curriculum must also incorporate a commitment to instill in students democratic ideals and methods to help them participate constructively in civic affairs and the political process.
"A common grounding in the history, values and workings of the American constitutional tradition is essential to ensure access and dedication to citizenship for all students in our increasingly diverse society," the report says.
The paper recommends that curricula for civic education be centered on fundamental concepts that shape American democracy and civic life. These include liberty, equality, opportunity, justice, independence and interdependence.
Thus, back in our state of Massachusetts, I was delighted to see that State Senator Harriette Chandler is supporting the report “Preparing Citizens on Civic Learning and Engagement.” The report was written by a state-appointed working group during the past year. Many of the recommendations aim at expanding civic education and community service learning in Massachusetts.
The proposal was sent to the State’s Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and this week and according to sources the board voted to support the report. David Roach board’s vice-chairman who served on the Working Group on Civic Learning stated last week that Civic engagement was an area that did needed our attention. The group recommended that there be no test of Civics tied into graduation requirements and the recommendations suggested were designed to do three things:
· Raise the profile of civic learning by including it in the core purpose of public institutions of learning.
· Begin a patient, inclusive process that will result in our ability to quantify effective practice in every school in the Commonwealth.
· Support and expand promising practice through the development of teachers and modest funding of innovation.
Mr. Roach also believes in stressing service learning in our schools and creating opportunities for students to learn about the importance of civic life in their community. The report stated that schools should design and implement programs that provide students with the opportunity to apply what they learn through performing community service that is linked to the formal curriculum and classroom instruction.
It is interesting to note that one of the strongest service learning schools in our state is right here in Worcester. Under the direction of South High’s principal Maureen Binienda who is a member of the state’s working group their service learning component is a major part of the students’ educational experience. The students have been involved through the years in a number of activities ranging from working with the Hanover theater, teaching elementary students about the importance of tolerance toward others, working with the elderly, starting a used clothing store on campus for students and families in need and establishing a “food pantry.” It’s a model that other schools in Worcester should replicate.
The report also recommends that more civic education take place in our schools, increase in service learning including establishing regional councils and an annual conference focused on evaluating our history and social studies curriculum to enhance civics instruction. In addition, the report calls for developing ways to evaluate how well schools are teaching Civics.
As a School Committee member I certainly support the actions of the Board for just last year for the very same reasons that the Board wanted change my colleague Brian O’Connell and I tried to secure additional courses in Civics for our school system and it was defeated by a 4-3 vote and never made it to the Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Support.
Do our students have the knowledge of how education and other areas of government are funded and how local school and municipal budgets are developed and passed? How do we measure how our students are developing the basic citizenry literacy skills that one should learn in school? The issue is not whether you are a conservative or liberal, for learning about civics is about values and the freedoms we take for granted that are guaranteed by the Constitution. Our students need to have the knowledge about our nation’s laws and how we are governed.
Now that the report has passed the agenda item will again resurface in September and a discussion on how we can address future courses in Civics and review the recommendations made in the report.
The revitalized view of civics is all about inspiring and motivating our students to internalize the values of democracy and be engaged in their community. Isn’t that what we want for our students?
Related Slideshow: 10 MA State Education Rankings
4th Grade Test Scores
8th Grade Test Scores
High School Dropout Rate
High School Graduation Rate
SAT Scores
High School AP Courses
Chance of Success
K-12 Achievement Index
Per Pupil Expenditure
Average Daily Attendance
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