Written by Generation Citizen CEO Elizabeth Clay Roy
Since January, I keep hearing, “we are living one big civics lesson”, often referring to adults learning nuances about the roles of each branch of government and Constitutional authority. So, this Civic Learning Week is right on time. This annual weeklong celebration is an opportunity to highlight the role of civic learning in shaping informed, engaged citizens—and building momentum for civic education in schools and communities nationwide. Check out Generation Citizen’s CLW events (in-person and virtual) programming in several communities. We welcome you to join us.
Civic learning at its best starts early, helping young students recognize themselves as members of a classroom community, and develops in age-appropriate ways through high school graduation, with each step helping young people become engaged and confident citizens in their town or city, state and nation. And it doesn’t stop there; continue our collective civic learning with the help of libraries, membership and volunteer organizations, unions, and by engaging in public service.
The notion of the “big civics lesson” underway also reflects that we have a number of open questions in public life these days. Economic uneasiness, global volatility, and continued hyperpolarization are part of what leads to a sense of instability that has been shared in polls nationwide. Far from being insulated by this, we know that adolescents are plugged in via social media and conversations with families and peers about what is taking place. As the recent “State of Young People 2024 Research Report” by America’s Promise Alliance revealed, “many young people see and feel social divisions in society and are mistrustful of the American political system. Approximately seven in 10 young people (69%) feel that the nation is more divided than ever and just one in five (19%) believe society is headed toward a better future.”
So, it is not a surprise to me that Americans want more and better civics education. In fact, students want it. According to the State of Youth People Report, “Nine in 10 young people (91%) believe that everyone should have access to civic education, however, just four in 10 (43%) young people feel even somewhat prepared, based on their civic education experiences, to participate civically.”
Adults want it for students in their lives too. According to a report released last week by the USC Dornsife CESR Center for Applied Research in Education, called “Agreement Across the Aisle: Schools Should Prepare Students for the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship”, there is high support for students learning civics in school. The report observed significant overall increases since 2021 in the proportions of adults rating civics education topics as important or very important. In addition to high support for teaching topics like the U.S. Constitution and the three branches of government, the report observed strong cross-partisan agreement about learning multiple perspectives, with 79% overall believing it is important for students to debate topics from opposite points of view, and 84% believing it is important to evaluate different arguments about a topic.
Given the complexity of this moment, students need relevant and engaging civics more than ever, and well-prepared teachers who can guide them through the curriculum as well as help them develop critical thinking skills to engage as informed citizens. That is what we do at GC: Partnering with schools nationwide to bring community-based civics curriculum and teacher training that helps students develop civic skills, knowledge and values. They are motivated to understand how local and student governments work so they can help solve real challenges they see around them, like youth mental health, school nutrition and food insecurity, or safety in public spaces.
As we all remember from our days as students, we learn, review, and prepare for scheduled tests throughout the semester—but there are still pop quizzes along the way. Providing the rising generation with the tools necessary to secure and build a strong democracy prepares them for life’s pop quizzes. Their civic knowledge, skills, and capacity for community problem-solving will benefit us all—it’s what we owe them.
