Civic Participation and Education in American Democracy

Introduction: The State of Civic Participation

A democracy is only as good as its civic participation. People must turn out to vote and voice their opinions for there to be balance in the democratic system. However, in modern democratic systems, many voter groups do not seem to appreciate their opportunities as democratic citizens and fail to show up to vote. There are many reasons responsible for this trend, and those reasons can vary from group to group. For example, college-aged students may have different reasons for not voting than various minority groups. Yet when these groups do turn out to vote, they can have a significant impact on the political system.

The power that college-aged voters can have on an election is undeniable, as data from Barack Obama's elections made clear. In the 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama spoke of education as a national mission, declaring that the country was at a "make-or-break moment" for the middle class (Kanter, 2012). This middle class currently faces challenges from nearly every angle. Unemployment has reached historical highs, and the cost of living — including education and healthcare — has risen sharply.

This analysis examines some of the reasons that various groups do not engage in civic participation and the implications this has for society. It also makes predictions about the future of the political system with regard to civic participation.

The Civic Recession and Voter Disengagement

The challenges that the middle class faces also offer opportunities for a new level of civic engagement and civic learning. There has been what is referred to as a civic recession — a period in which the public has become disenfranchised with the entire political system. The education system is one avenue to reverse this trend because education is relevant to nearly everyone and is vital to the middle class. This has led to what has been called a civic call to action. President Obama challenged the country to reclaim the world's highest proportion of college graduates by 2020, calling this effort the drive to "win the future" (Kanter, 2012). A nine-step approach was outlined by which the education system would undergo a series of reforms to make it more affordable and effective.

To make sustainable gains for the middle class, however, there must be an escalation in civic participation. As scholars have argued, citizen participation is at the heart of a functioning democracy (Verba, Schlozman, & Brady, 1997). A long-standing trend of civic disengagement — lasting nearly a century — brought voter turnout to its lowest point since 1924, at just forty-nine percent. There are a number of reasons voters can feel disenfranchised and choose to abandon their civic rights and responsibilities. One reason is simply that individuals feel powerless. In today's democracy, there is a strong sense that money is a decisive factor in elections. Billionaires are directing enormous sums of funding into specific races to influence their outcomes, which can make the average voter feel as though their individual vote is virtually worthless and their power in an election is minimal. This, however, is only one issue within the modern democratic system.

Civic Education Inequities Across States

Inequalities in education continue to be a rallying point for various groups, and different states have taken vastly different approaches to addressing — or neglecting — the civic education of their populations. Just as views on freedom of speech vary widely, every state has charted its own course on civic education. "The real problem lies in the inequities at wealthy schools versus lower-income, Title I schools," says Peter Levine, Director of Research at CIRCLE, who has written extensively on civic life, including Reforming the Humanities and Engaging Young People in Civic Life (Reiss, 2012).

Many educational programs fail to teach civic engagement. Some are more focused on building job skills through math and science, while others are simply failing systems altogether. Nevertheless, there are many cases in which civic education has shown meaningful progress.

Florida passed the Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act in 2010, requiring teachers to incorporate civics-related content into the language arts curriculum at all grade levels (Reiss, 2012). The legislation even mandates that students complete a semester-long course on civic engagement before entering high school. Tennessee has taken a similarly progressive stance on civic education. Levine notes that one of the most innovative recent initiatives came when Tennessee's legislature passed a bill requiring school districts to assess students' knowledge of civics through assignments that are "student-influenced" and "involve an inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks" (Reiss, 2012).

Conclusion: Transforming Democracy Through Civic Learning

The education system must engage students and foster genuine learning rather than simply transmit skills. Students must not only acquire skills but also learn how to apply them in real-life situations — practicing different aspects of their education in meaningful ways that will remain with them long after their formal schooling ends. This should be the foundation and the goal of the civic education programs that are beginning to emerge across the country.

Through civic education, the country can be transformed into a healthier democracy — one capable of mitigating the inequalities that have deepened over the last century.

Works Cited

Kanter, M. (2012). Civic learning. Liberal Education, 22–27.

Reiss, D. (2012). Why teaching civic engagement is essential. District Administration, 58–64.

Verba, S., Schlozman, K., & Brady, H. (1997). The big tilt: Participatory inequality in America. The American Prospect, 74–80.