Beyond Books: Bringing Civics to Life for Our Young People

Meal times can be good opportunities to teach and educate. (Biba Kayewich)

Why did leading citizens of the United States deem it necessary to write the Constitution in 1787? What is the purpose of that document? What are the three branches of government and what are the duties of each? What is the Bill of Rights? Does the government have the power to take away those rights? What are the functions and powers of state governments vis-à-vis the federal government? What are the rights of a citizen stopped by authorities for a traffic violation?

Americans, including high school students, should be able to answer these questions and others like them. The rights and duties of citizenship, and in particular an understanding of our Constitution, are the bulwarks of our liberties.

Regrettably, many Americans, adults as well as adolescents, are baffled when asked about these basics. Most of us have seen those man-in-the-street interviews in which passersby, usually young people, can’t name the vice president of the United States or have never heard of their First Amendment rights. The declining scores in civics among today’s students further illustrate this lack of knowledge. A 2022 assessment known as the “Nation’s Report Card” found that only 13 percent of eighth graders across the country scored proficient on a standardized civics test. And 31 percent scored “below basic” on the same test.

Because a republic whose citizens are ignorant of its machinery and function will eventually decline and fall, many observers now deem it vital to increase the learning of history and civics in our nation’s classrooms. Few of us would disagree, but what can we as parents, grandparents, mentors, and teachers do to enhance this education? What steps might be taken to teach civics outside the classroom?

Let’s take a look.

Online Riches

Search online for “civics programs for the home” or similar topics, and you’ll find dozens of programs and organizations offering educational resources in civics for young people and for adults. These range from animated music videos for elementary students to courses in the Constitution, history, and government, such as those offered free by Hillsdale College, which are appropriate for high schoolers as well as for college-age students.

Here’s an easy and entertaining way to acquire lessons in citizenship in the comfort of your own home.

Table Talk

Turning your evening meal into a classroom every week or so can make your family a Triple Crown winner.

Experts already agree that shared meals build relationships, particularly for families. That’s win number one. We can add wins two and three when we bring occasional discussions to the table based on current events and how they are intertwined with the Constitution, laws, and government. Gun control, the U.S. debt, the right to free speech—all of these issues and more are making today’s headlines, and all of them ultimately have to do with our constitutional government.

This one will require some research both beforehand and afterward, but this analysis of events happening in real time will give immediacy to the importance of civics. The level of discussion can be adapted to the age of the young people at the table.

Movie Night

Some films can entertain while providing excellent lessons in citizenship.

Two of my favorites are the miniseries “John Adams” and “Enemy of the State.” The former brings to life one of our key Founding Fathers; the latter reveals a U.S. intelligence agency gone rogue and what that means for a democracy.

Onalee McGraw is the co-founder of a film studies program aimed at the young, the Educational Guidance Institute. Her favorite movie for teaching civics is the classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” in which a young man (Jimmy Stewart) enters Congress as an idealist who loves our republic and must then fight desperately against the deceit and corruption he finds there. As Ms. McGraw notes, “In this movie, you can’t tell who’s a Republican or a Democrat.” And she’s correct. The movie isn’t about ideology but about honor, love of country, and working for the people. It’s an excellent vehicle for learning and discussion.

Vacation Education

As we head into summer, more of us will be hitting the road for some time away from home. Here’s an opportunity to learn more about our government, our history, and its influence on civics. If you’re going through your state capitol, for instance, make a detour and visit the building where the state legislature meets. These state houses feature exhibitions of art and history and are themselves often the site of historical events, many of which can spark discussions of government.

And like the dinner table, the car can provide an excellent forum for discussions of the rights and obligations that go into the making of a good citizen.

Real-Life Civics

Town council or school board meetings, the trials taking place in a county courthouse, the rallies or fundraisers of a local political candidate—every community in the United States is a microcosm of civics at work. Take your students to any of these activities and meetings, and you’ve gone deep into the heart of civics.

One important lesson students will likely draw from these excursions is the real-world operation and meaning of government. They may become bored listening to a lengthy discussion about emergency road preparations for winter or renovations to the middle school, but parents and teachers should emphasize that these are real problems demanding real solutions. A government that diligently addresses these work-a-day problems is what citizens expect and need from their elected officials.

Game’s On

Learning the basics of our Constitution and of our federal, state, and local governments is not rocket science. It’s not even the equivalent of Algebra 2. Any American of average intelligence can easily learn these fundamentals, and our young people are no different.

Some who have commented on the falling test scores in civics have pointed to the inability of so many students to read at grade level, hence barring them from the lessons in their textbooks. But that problem, while indicative of yet more shortcomings in our schools, must not impede teaching our youth the basics of citizenship and making them aware of their rights and responsibilities as Americans.

In an address delivered in 1963 at Vanderbilt University centered on the obligations of citizenship, President John F. Kennedy remarked that “the ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

Today, we have millions of voters ignorant of our government and its place and function in our republic. We can put a dent in those figures by educating ourselves and those closest to us in the basic elements of citizenship and civics.

We have the tools to do the job. Let’s use them.