Civics Education Doesn't Need Federal Involvement

The Washington Post reported on May 12, 2002 that the Bush administration is "developing an ambitious package of policies to convert the patriotic outpouring sparked by Sept. 11 into a systematic effort to teach love of country to school-age Americans." Plans being considered involve "federal incentives for states to adopt civics education classes and standards in public schools, expansion of 'service learning' classes that give credit for community volunteer work, drafting of a broadly accepted civics curriculum and use of the presidential bully pulpit."

Should our schools be teaching civics? No doubt about it! How much of a role should the federal government have in bringing that about? Absolutely none!

Americans enjoy a degree of liberty that no other people in history have experienced. The feature of our republic that makes this possible is our Constitution and the system of self-government for which it is the framework.

If Americans are to govern themselves, they must understand how that system works, and why it is superior to other forms of government. Too few of us do have that understanding and appreciation. As a result, we aren't equipped to hold our elected officials to their oath to defend the Constitution, and our liberty is eroded. Good civics instruction in schools helps to build up the needed understanding, and thus reinforces liberty.

If we can agree that schools need to teach civics, the other big question is who should say how it is to be done, and what is to be taught? The Bush administration apparently believes that the federal government should have control over the curriculum. I would call that a case of setting the fox to guard the henhouse.

The biggest danger to continued liberty is the growth of government. Government's natural tendency is to grow, and to foster conditions that favor its own growth. If the federal government has control or influence over the civics curriculum used in our schools, it is inevitable that the curriculum will eventually favor growth of government. It will do this by teaching the duty to obey the government, without balancing that with the equally crucial duty to be vigilant in enforcing the Constitutional limitations on the government.

The "easy" way to see to it that the next generation understands and appreciates our system of government – passing a federal law – won't work, because there really isn't an easy way. The only way to accomplish that is to have competing curricula on the market, and for attentive citizens to ensure that our elected school board members are committed to providing a balanced civics curriculum. If President Bush wants to help with that task, he could use the "bully pulpit" to awaken more of us to the need. To any federal involvement beyond that, I say "Thanks, but no thanks!"