Creating Informed Citizens Research Paper

The Abington School District v. Schempp (374 U.S. 203 (1963)), Wisconsin v. Yoder (406 U.S. 205 (1972)), and Amback v. Norwick, 441 v. 68 (1979)) cases discuss how and why education, to some degree, is necessary to prepare citizens to participate in our political system.

George Washington, the first president of the United States once wrote in a letter to George Chapman that, “the best means of forming a manly, virtuous, and happy people will be found in the right education of youth. Without this foundation, every other means, in my opinion, must fail.” Although the people who received an education and the type of education they received in the eighteenth century vastly differed from the education that exists today, it is clear that from the foundation of this nation education has been seen as a fundamental necessity. When running for office, many political candidates address the value and significance of a strong education system. Yet, at the end of the day significant change in the system rarely occurs

One of the main responsibilities that education must achieve in a democratic society argues that it is the proper preparation of students for the roles of successful citizens and responsibilities they must be ready to take on when they are ready to take on the world. We do not add together individuals and call it a society. We as teachers, teach children so they can be a part of today’s society. People’s lives are woven together and we share a common life and goals.

Reflecting upon Kelemen’s (2015) article, I was struck by her comment that all people require education to develop from childhood to adulthood and schooling is the cornerstone to becoming social beings. It is the school’s responsibility to train children to become social beings who can think critically and act rationally and responsibility in our American Democracy. As I think about the students who enter my classroom each day, I realize that they are about two years away from turning eighteen and will be able to vote. Therefore, I have the tremendous responsibility of providing them with an education that includes both achievement and integrity (Shirley, 2017). Kelemen (2015) states that education should align with the practical aspects

Voting is a right that all Americans have once hitting the age of 18 regardless of race, gender, or financial status. However, not everyone chooses to exercise these rights or even fully understands how to use them properly. Voting is not as simple as just going to a ballot box and checking the box for the person whom had the most signs and television commercials. Being a voter means that one has an influence over the government and who makes important decisions regarding the nation or state. However, if one does not know all of the details about who they are voting for, they could be voting blindly. It is important to do research and make factual decisions about who should be elected. If one is not fully informed, than the less suitable candidate could be elected into office due to a lack of information. All of the information necessary to make a strong decision is available, it just depends on whether or not Americans go through the effort to locate it and use it. Voting for the most desired and suitable candidate is important whether it is congressional district, senate, or presidency.

Unlike families, education is not about letting children understand politics on their own, but to tell children which political points should be understood actively(for example, teachers will tell students about the fundamentals of the American government.). Education also has a nurturing effect. A website called CliffsNotes says the school's class cadre system also gives children a certain understanding of the government's voting system(Political socialization, Web CliffsNotes.com). This is because children always go through elections and votes when they run for class cadres. Primary schools may be simple primaries, and in high schools and even universities there will be more complex voting mechanisms (meaning closer to the real voting

A step that our political system could take to motivate young people is to encourage schools to teach them the importance of voting! Our schools spend so much time talking about the specifics and laws, but I was barely taught the importance of voting. It was just something that I was expected to know. Many people, including me, have parents to give encouragement. Others do not. I think it is important for schools to really discuss the current issues and get young kids, in high school, to discuss what they think!

First and for most, the education one has is the single most important factor in predicting whether they vote. Although mostly, all American citizens know they have the right to vote, they do not know how to get registered or where to vote. That does seem like a poor excuse, considering we live in a technology based society and pretty much anything can be looked up online. Despite the fact that some citizens truly do not understand the importance of voting, some choose to not understand it.

Citizen participation in the government is not a right given to all citizens worldwide. The model of democracy is often taken for granted by Americans, but the ability to elect government officials and voice opinions on government initiatives and referenda is an incredible opportunity in the United States of America. We, as citizens, have an ability to ignite change, reform the government, and build a country that we believe in and are proud of. Therefore, the right to vote should not be taken lightly. All people afforded this right should take full advantage of the opportunity and truly invest in the government. Political participation depends on multiple factors, one of the most influential being socioeconomic status.

Taking a Government class can be beneficial in a number of ways. It can help students better comprehend, for instance, the basic structure of the institutions and authority figures that keep our great country running relatively smoothly. It can help them understand the viewpoints of their peers, their parents, and their community and the reasons behind these opinions. It can help answer the question, "Who has the power in America?". Government class not only teaches the bare facts, such as the procedures of the judicial, executive, and legislative branches, the requirements to hold office, and the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, but also what they mean and why things are the way they are in this nation. Why do we have a bicameral legislative branch? Why have almost all of our Presidents been middle-aged Caucasian males? Why do we have a Bill of Rights and how far do our "guaranteed" privileges extend? Teaching young people about their government is one way to spark an interest in politics. If politicians never learned about their profession, then why would they be inspired to have a job in that specific field? Government class is also one way to create a more informed public opinion. Although America's public is not one of the most knowledgeable in the world, that can certainly be changed. In class, teachers not only teach history and fundamentals of government, but current events as well. This small step towards cluing the young public in

Citizen Sourcing is where the public helps government be more operational and receptive. Government holds accountability, but citizens influence direction and outcomes, improve the government's situational awareness, and facilitate execution of daily government services. For the Government as a Platform, the minimal marginal costs of digital data dissemination and computer-based services allows government to create its knowledge and IT infrastructure accessible to the public that made financial contributions for its development. In the process, the state can help citizens improve their daily productivity, decision-making, and well-being. Government is not responsible for the resulting activity, but can leverage its platform and influence to

Democracy and education are highly inseparable and they could not exist without each other. Education is a process in which an individual develops entirely as a person, whether it is physically, mentally, or socially so that they can become an active member in not only society, but also life itself. An educated individual is one who does activities that they enjoy and faces the problems they encounter without turning away from them.

John Dewey, the father of education, created a vision of education being the key to prepare people for citizenship. Dewey’s vision was the idea that school, would teach future citizens how to think critically in democratic situations. Essays such as Todd Gitlin’s, The Liberal Arts in an Age of Info-Glut, Leon Botstein’s Let Teenager’s Try Adulthood, and Diane Ravitch’s, Stop the Madness, help to prove high schools today are not doing enough to prepare citizens to achieve Dewey’s vision of people being able to critically think democratically.

Akin to the accumulation of wealth, the gathering of knowledge is meaningless without a person’s willingness to give back to their society. During his speech, John F. Kennedy encouraged students to use their education to improve the world around them as the alternative was, not only simply but obviously, the failure of democracy in our nation. While this may seem dramatic, it is entirely accurate. Without good-natured support from the educated masses, the future of democracy falls to those with selfish motives. A lack of education among voters is a common reason for the passing of detrimental legislation.

Faith in education, and the conviction to provide it to all citizens, has been a constant principle of our Republic. The importance of education was present from the beginning of our nation, as illustrated by Thomas Jefferson’s observation that “the most important bill is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness." According to President Jefferson, a nation cannot be ignorant and free. The fight for freedom is not in the trenches, President Kennedy said, it is in our classrooms. Schools will determine if the future is one of freedom and enlightenment or one of subordination and false consciousness.