Wicks: Americans’ Commitment to Democracy Is Strong — and Civics Education Is the People’s Choice for Making Our Democracy Even Stronger
As the new school year commences, an encouraging report from the Democracy Project, which is a collaborative effort by the George W. Bush Institute, Freedom House, and the Penn Biden Center, reveals positive data about Americans’ views on our democracy. The report highlights a strong inclination towards enhancing civics education, which is a welcomed development amid an ongoing nationwide debate concerning the state of our institutions.
When respondents were asked about strategies to strengthen our democracy, they were given eleven options to consider. The top choice, with an overwhelming 89 percent agreement, was to prioritize civic education in schools by incorporating it into the curriculum. Another popular choice, supported by 81 percent of those polled, was to incentivize young people across America to engage in public service activities such as military service, teaching, or volunteer work.
These findings follow a survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center two years ago, which revealed that only 26 percent of Americans could correctly name all three branches of government. This marked a significant decline compared to previous years. Additionally, the Pew Research Center reported that voter turnout in 2016 had reached a 20-year low. Furthermore, public trust in the government currently stands at a meager 18 percent, close to historic lows.
Given these circumstances, the results from the Democracy Project serve as a step in the right direction. However, it is worth noting that civics education in America remains inconsistent. Despite the nostalgic memories of Gen X Americans recalling Schoolhouse Rock songs from their Saturday morning cartoon sessions, each state approaches civics education with different levels of rigor and content.
Elizabeth Mann Levesque of the Brookings Institution emphasizes the Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic Learning framework as a widely accepted model for high-quality education in this field. This framework aims to educate students on three main themes: knowledge of democracy and the U.S. government, an understanding of government structures at the local, state, and federal levels, and personal engagement in democracy as responsible citizens. To achieve robust civics education, classroom learning must be supplemented with practical experiences, volunteer work, and community service. Most states have room for improvement in their educational offerings.
Presently, extreme political polarization, the disruptive influence of unfiltered news sources that challenge traditional media and expert analysis, and the decline in civics education pose a genuine threat to American democracy. The Democracy Project report supports this claim, revealing that over two-thirds of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents express varying degrees of concern about the current state of American democracy.
It is undeniable that our democracy is imperfect. The idea of equality, as observed by de Tocqueville in Democracy in America, primarily pertained to white men. However, the sentiment he witnessed was revolutionary for its time, championing the notion that personal liberty and freedom are fundamental to all citizens. The Democracy Project report reflects the concerns of respondents, pointing out the inconsistent and painful process of implementing this idea in America’s history.
Nonetheless, the trajectory of our implementation has generally been upward, striving towards a more perfect union envisioned in our Constitution. We owe our representative democracy and the courage of countless citizens who express their voices both domestically and internationally for the progress we have achieved.
The exceptional power of America’s democracy was showcased globally on January 20, 2017, when a new president was inaugurated after one of the most bitterly contested and exhausting elections in the nation’s history. Remarkably, former presidents and first ladies, including one who had just suffered a bruising election defeat, gathered in Washington, D.C. for the peaceful and ceremonial transfer of power. There was no coup, no violence; the ceremony adhered to protocol. For Americans, this was merely expected, but for many around the world, our peaceful transition of power was perplexing.
This stands in stark contrast to Zimbabwe’s recent presidential election, which was marred by opposition challenges, resulting in the arrest of its leader, violence, and chaos. This election, the first following a brutal 40-year rule, was promised to be fair and free.
As fictional President Andrew Shepherd eloquently stated in the movie The American President, "America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship." Truly embodying the ideals of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is a messy and complex endeavor.
It requires us to respect the rights of fellow citizens, even when we vehemently disagree. It necessitates active engagement, participation, and exercising our right to vote. Most importantly, we must truly comprehend how our system operates. We must follow the guidance of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, who implored us to appeal to the "better angels of our nature" in his second inaugural address.
Anne Wicks holds the position of director in charge of implementing changes in education at the esteemed George W. Bush Institute. To stay up-to-date on education news and receive compelling stories like these, make sure to sign up for Newsletter.
