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Letter To Kentucky Board Of Civics Education

1374 Words6 Pages

Dr. Lu Young
Kentucky Board of Education Chair
300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601

Dear Dr. Lu Young,

I’m Andy Wan, an eighth-grade student attending Rachel Carson Middle School in Fairfax, Virginia. Today, this letter is sent to you to share my thoughts on the importance of civics education. During my civics class this year, I have learned various reasons why civics is a crucial part of our lives. Additionally, we are taught that it is critical for American citizens to learn about the effects of the government on their lives, as well as how the government operates. Today, I will be writing to you about both the importance of civics education and the negative effects that a lack of civics education can have.

There are four groups …show more content…

While Virginia heavily emphasizes on the importance of learning about local government, Kentucky does not. Because of the history that connects Virginia to the construction of the United States, the Virginia civics curriculum focuses on Virginia impact on the government, while Kentucky focuses on just the Kentucky Government. In the April 2019 edition of the Kentucky Academic Standards, the board quotes that “the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) states that social studies "is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence."” However, Kentucky does not require students to take one year of a civics course. In Virginia, one year of civics education is required to graduate. Quoting …show more content…

First, we go over why civics education needs to change now. According to research conducted by brookings.edu, a government governed by “the people” will not last long without proper civics education. Civics education provides individuals with an understanding of American politics and laws, promoting engagement and community service. However, despite its importance, only 26% of Americans could name the three branches of government, as reported by aft.org. 74% of the population unable to answer basic civics knowledge is quite disturbing. If we keep on this path of a lack of civics, this percentage may increase . Consequently, this highlights the need for more comprehensive civics education in the United States. In this context, Virginia, as a state, has an exceptional civics curriculum that places strong emphasis on information the public may lack. As Lora DeSalvo, a Curriculum Associate for iCivics, points out, civics education is critical for the success of a democracy, as it enables people to understand how their government works and participate in it. Furthermore, as sciencedirect.com notes, civic learning via engagement encourages critical thinking and debate, promoting greater involvement in communities. Not only does this information prove that civics education is beneficial to our society, it also informs us that civics education is essential to a thriving nation. To

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