[Mb-civic] Not By Math Alone - Sandra Day O'Connor, Roy Romer - Washington Post Op-Ed

[William Swiggard]

Not By Math Alone
<>
By Sandra Day O'Connor and Roy Romer
The Washington Post
Saturday, March 25, 2006; A19

Fierce global competition prompted President Bush to use the State of 
the Union address to call for better math and science education, where 
there's evidence that many schools are falling short.

We should be equally troubled by another shortcoming in American 
schools: Most young people today simply do not have an adequate 
understanding of how our government and political system work, and they 
are thus not well prepared to participate as citizens.

This country has long exemplified democratic practice to the rest of the 
world. With the attention we are paying to advancing democracy abroad, 
we ought not neglect it at home.

Two-thirds of 12th-graders scored below "proficient" on the last 
national civics assessment in 1998, and only 9 percent could list two 
ways a democracy benefits from citizen participation. Yes, young people 
remain highly patriotic, and many volunteer in their communities. But 
most are largely disconnected from current events and issues.

A healthy democracy depends on the participation of citizens, and that 
participation is learned behavior; it doesn't just happen. As the 2003 
report "The Civic Mission of Schools" noted: "Individuals do not 
automatically become free and responsible citizens, but must be educated 
for citizenship." That means civic learning -- educating students for 
democracy -- needs to be on par with other academic subjects.

This is not a new idea. Our first public schools saw education for 
citizenship as a core part of their mission. Eighty years ago, John 
Dewey said, "Democracy needs to be reborn in every generation and 
education is its midwife."

But in recent years, civic learning has been pushed aside. Until the 
1960s, three courses in civics and government were common in American 
high schools, and two of them ("civics" and "problems of democracy") 
explored the role of citizens and encouraged students to discuss current 
issues. Today those courses are very rare.

What remains is a course on "American government" that usually spends 
little time on how people can -- and why they should -- participate. The 
effect of reduced civic learning on civic life is not theoretical. 
Research shows that the better people understand our history and system 
of government, the more likely they are to vote and participate in the 
civic life.

We need more and better classes to impart the knowledge of government, 
history, law and current events that students need to understand and 
participate in a democratic republic. And we also know that much 
effective civic learning takes place beyond the classroom -- in 
extracurricular activity, service work that is connected to class work, 
and other ways students experience civic life.

Preserving our democracy should be reason enough to promote civic 
learning. But there are other benefits. Understanding society and how we 
relate to each other fosters the attitudes essential for success in 
college, work and communities; it enhances student learning in other 
subjects.

Economic and technological competitiveness is essential, and America's 
economy and technology have flourished because of the rule of law and 
the "assets" of a free and open society. Democracy has been good for 
business and for economic well-being. By the same token, failing to hone 
the civic tools of democracy will have economic consequences.

Bill Gates -- a top business and technology leader -- argues strongly 
that schools have to prepare students not only for college and career 
but for citizenship as well.

None of this is to diminish the importance of improving math and science 
education. This latest push, as well as the earlier emphasis on 
literacy, deserves support. It should also be the occasion for a broader 
commitment, and that means restoring education for democracy to its 
central place in school.

We need more students proficient in math, science and engineering. We 
also need them to be prepared for their role as citizens. Only then can 
self-government work. Only then will we not only be more competitive but 
also remain the beacon of liberty in a tumultuous world.

Sandra Day O'Connor retired as an associate justice of the Supreme 
Court. Roy Romer, a former governor of Colorado, is superintendent of 
the Los Angeles Unified School District. They are co-chairs of the 
national advisory council of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032401621.html?nav=hcmodule
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