CIVIC ED. IN THE NEWS

Last month, researchers from the American Enterprise Institute shared their thoughts on a bipartisan series of conversations that the think tank hosted this winter. In the discussion of civic education, participants included teachers, organizers, researchers, and political staffers, who explored their differences and sought common ground, such as the instance of this conservative educator:

“On the right, one teacher acknowledged that because ‘patriotism’ is such a loaded term, he prefers to talk about teaching students to be ‘invested’ in their communities. He reasoned that patriotism is less important a goal than ‘stitching children into the public sphere,’ thereby cultivating a sense of gratitude for our system of democracy and teaching student to appreciate our institutions without necessarily insisting on the kind of emotional attachment often implied by patriotism.”

New data from the National Assessment of Education Progress show that eighth graders are scoring lower in history and geography than they did in 2014. Meanwhile, since 1998, civics scores have only increased three points. Researchers and educators weigh in on Education Week to discuss the results and next steps.

APRIL 2020

Welcome to the April edition of our civic education newsletter. Tune into this month’s announcements:

In case you missed it, last month’s newsletter included our COVID-19 civic engagement guide for students and the people who care about them. From structured lesson plans and podcasts to virtual museum tours, the free guide includes resources to help students develop their: media literacy, knowledge of voting and policy, social-emotional health, and creativity with civics projects. Underrepresented high school seniors can also access information on college scholarships they may apply to during this turbulent time.
Austin leaders from our Youth Bill of Rights group are surveying their peers to strengthen their YBoR advocacy and research initiatives. Austin youth can offer their input here.
Next month, we’d love to highlight dedicated Texans who are civically engaging young people during the pandemic. Please share your stories and suggestions with Maggie Stern.
Want to see your announcement in next month’s newsletter? Contact Maggie Stern at mstern@childrensdefense.org. Subscribe / unsubscribe from our mailing list here.

Leading Through A Crisis

All across the world, young leaders are fostering community and hope in their countries.

This month, we honor their leadership.

C H I C A G O , I L

The group Good Kids Mad City, led by Black and brown youth, have collected donations to deliver groceries in low-income neighborhoods. Likewise, Street Youth Rise Up is purchasing gift cards to feed people experiencing homelessness.

D I G I T A L O R G A N I Z I N G

With #Students_Against_COVID trending on Twitter, students are aiming to tackle disinformation and share educational resources online. Advocates for Youth in Washington, D.C. has created a COVID-19 organizing toolkit written by youth for youth. And the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing has released a Rapid Respond Fund. The award is for small-budget youth-led nonprofits that organize marginalized, low-income people, ages 13-25. Grants are up to $2000 and can be used for remote organizing, mutual aid, campaigns, etc. FCYO is also hosting calls with youth organizers.

G L O B A L S O L I D A R I T Y

On the website Voices of Youth, young people from all over the world are submitting their reflections on COVID-19. Both the Africa Youth COVID-19 Roundtable and the United Nations are regularly gathering youth leaders online to brainstorm on ways to influence policy. You can read more about international changemakers here.