Is non-partisan civics education still possible? For many Americans, such a notion might seem hopelessly naive. To make their case, they need only point to states passing legislation to combat critical race theory (CRT) or others like Illinois and California that mandate “culturally responsive teaching.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has stated his opposition to the Civics Secures Democracy Act which, despite some bipartisan support, critics accuse of being a leftist boondoggle. Recent Florida Department of Education civics trainings have similarly been accused of ideological indoctrination.
If all civics is inherently partisan, however, it surely spells the end of civic education in public schools. Why should parents subject their children to political education – that is, education oriented toward certain policy outcomes – they disagree with? Why should partisan civics be broadly supported through tax dollars? Civics is about learning fundamental knowledge that’s necessary for good citizenship. If we can’t agree on the fundamentals, we can’t have civics.
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