In 2012, former Supreme Court Justice David Souter answered a question about civics education in America. His answer is kind of a spookily accurate prediction for what has happened just four years later.
Yeah. So, I’m taking bets on whether we’ll be seeing Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho on the Republican ticket in 2020. You know, I’m not bothered so much by the fact that a nightmare scenario like Idiocracy could actually come true so much as I am terrified that it came so fast. /:
Anyway, let’s hope for more Civics curricula in the future, shall we?
Great post. I remember in 5th grade our civics class had us run our own classroom elections. The two parties were the Democrabs and Repelicans. I’m thankful for those civics-minded teachers back then.
Civics among many failings of our modern schools. It all started with the dumbing down of schools in the 60s and George Bush Jr with his ill-thought push of the no child garbage has turned teachers into coaches for how to pass standard tests instead of teaching. Parents also have a responsibility to teach their children. Instead too many rely on someone else be it a sitter or child care. Justice Souter is so correct in many ways.
I remember that silly movie! In a way funny, but as I watched it I saw much of the way the USA has become since the 80s.
Then there is Hillary…..
David Souter is eerily prescient in that clip.
I am hoping that younger generations continue to discover the joys of School House Rock classics such as “I’m Just a Bill”:
https://youtu.be/tyeJ55o3El0?list=PLnx6r9S_SJ7JebFxqzmSguxjxcSbd0R3e
That song (as well others like “The Preamble”) has been stuck in my head for 40+ years. Bonus: cameo appearance by typewriter in “I’m Just a Bill”.
I’m happy to report that just tonight, my daughter was studying for a test on the Constitution. She knows it better than I do now.
Like most people, I have no idea how civics is taught today because I haven’t set foot in a classroom for decades.
But in the spring of 1970, right after the killings of four Kent State students by Ohio National Guardsmen, there was an incident in my senior year Problems of Democracy class that has stuck with me.
Ours was a very pro-Nixon community, but a few — very few — of my fellow students decided to mark the deaths in Ohio by wearing black arm bands. What I still remember was that the teacher called the class to order, paused, and blew his nose into a black handkerchief.
It was a message I took to heart, but not in the way the teacher intended.