Trite scandals and the saturation of falsities overshadowed substantial policy debate during the 2016 presidential election. Most Americans, irrespective of political affiliation, felt frustration and fatigue as a result. The presidential election season underscored a lack of meaningful civic and political knowledge and participation and accentuated the continual and dangerous deemphasis of local government. While municipal races elect officials responsible for governing some of the most important facets of citizensâ daily lives and for holding state and federal officials accountable on behalf of their constituents, the 2016 election painted the illusion that there is one single person in charge of our nation. Vitriolic debate, partisan divide, and low voter turnout ensued. Our democracy itself may be at risk.
So begins Generation Citizenâs new report âEducation Paves the Road to Sustained Democracyâ which highlights an opportunity that this election period has presented: the widespread recognition of the urgent need to invest in nonpartisan, systemic efforts to revitalize our democracy.
We offer action civics education for every student in the United States as a necessary solution. By empowering our young people with the skills, knowledge, and motivation to participate politically, before theyâre even of age to vote, we can foster an engaged citizenry and revitalized democracy for years to come.
The importance of action civics in our classrooms can be seen now, more than ever and we have actions that anyone can take to make this solution a reality.
Read our report here.
Have a look at our infographic, with highlights from the report:
