Civic Classes: Important to Being an American Citizen.
When I was in school, even elementary students took Civic Classes. Along with History and Social Studies. Not anymore. It may be because of the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires a concentration on math and reading skills.
Math and reading are important. But what about writing? What about knowing all that we can about our country and our Constitution? It is a sad state our schools are in, when they don’t teach what every alien who wants to become an United States Citizen has to learn.
Between them, Sandra Day O’Connor and Roy Romer have had enough successful careers to satisfy half a dozen ambitious individuals. O’Connor was a rancher, a lawyer, a leader of the Arizona Senate and, most famously, the first woman to be a justice of the Supreme Court. Romer was a successful businessman, the governor of Colorado and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee; since 2000 he has been superintendent of schools in Los Angeles.
When I saw them over coffee in Washington last week, the two senior citizens were proverbially breathing fire about the younger generation. What had stirred them was not worry about the youths’ clothes, language or morals. It was a lot more basic — a concern that these young people are coming out of school uninformed about the basics of American government and unengaged in the civic life of their country.
Civics instruction, O’Connor said, “was routinely required at several levels in high school, and it was integrated into the grade-school curriculum as well. And that just has disappeared.” {Source}
No wonder that the younger generation tends to think that the Constitution is too liberal. We are not teaching them why our Founding Fathers knew all of the Constitution was important and why they made it “liberal”. They had studied history and lived under a government which thought the King had all the power. They did not want that for our new country.
No wonder Mr. Bush and his Cabal can get away with what they do. Most of the American people don’t really know that what they are doing is anti-Constitutional! It is unAmerican! It is wrong!
Sad, that this country has only lasted a little over 200 years.
If you don’t teach children everything, you can not be surprised that they don’t know. What are they doing in school for all those hours? I had classes in history, civics, social studies, math, reading, writing, English, foreign language, p.e., bible studies, (went to a private religious school), science, biology, typing, shorthand, choir, band, piano and other private music lessons, played sports and was a cheerleader. Plus clubs. I am sure I have forgotten some classes. I had classes from seven in the morning until five in the afternoon, with a half hour for lunch, five days per week. And the homework was intense.
It is time that we demand the same kind of education that those of our generation had. When students are so busy, they do not have time to get into trouble, well almost none. And we know about civic responsibility and the responsibility our government officials have. The Bush Administration and this Congress are not taking care of business. We the people are letting them get away with this.
Time for a change! First start by replacing the Republicans in the House and Senate so that they are forced to uphold the Constitution and then let’s get rid of this ridiculous “No Child Left Behind” and get back to the real education of our young people. May need some remedial for those children and young people who never had the chance to learn all that there is to know about being a good citizen.
Parents, if they are not teaching your children Civics Classes, go to the PTA and school board meetings and demand it. In the meantime, take the time to teach it at home. It is that important.
