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Illinois School Board Journal
November/December 2007
Darlene J. Ruscitti is regional superintendent in the DuPage Regional Office of Education #1.
Civic education has deep roots in America's history. Preparing students to be active participants in democracy remains a central mission of public education. With the tremendous emphasis placed on reading and math by both local and federal mandates that include the No Child Left Behind Act, this core mission is at risk.
What is really at stake? And why should we care? What happens if we fail to teach our children the American story or the importance of civic engagement? What happens if we fail to teach our children the basics of our representative democracy?
The answer is simple, but multi-faceted. People will vote less. They will pay less attention to their communities and their civic duties. They will not strengthen their churches or improve their schools and libraries, or enhance their hospitals. Public participation will fall at all levels, and people will become isolated from one another.
The 21st century will be riddled with old and new challenges. Our young people need to be equipped to confront and handle these challenges. Do they know what it means to be a part of America? Do they know of America's beliefs and ideals? We would want them to know that being an American provides the opportunity to do something significant. We want our students to see that being a part of their community, county, state and country can make a difference.
So if we want this country to be an even better one, we must arm our children with the knowledge and skills to be effective citizens.
Where do we start?
Let's begin with a dialogue in our homes, schools and communities on what it means to be free — a reexamination of the very dialogue of democracy. We need to set an example for our young people through discussion and deliberation, not conflict and aggression, if we are to address the current cynicism and apathy.
DuPage County's education system has not only begun this dialogue but has also hosted the first in the nation Regional Summit on Civic Education. All 26 high schools in the county participated in a two-day event last November that included more than 500 community members. Among those sharing their stories and commitment to the promotion of civic education were: the Honorable Joan Humphrey Lefkow, a U.S. District Court judge; Jim Ryan, the former Illinois attorney general; Dawn Clark Netsch, the former Illinois comptroller; David Grange, a former brigadier general and CEO of the McCormick Tribune Corporation; and Ted McConnell, executive director of the Center for Civic Education.
In addition, the DuPage County Regional Office of Education's civic steering committee created a "summit in a box," designed so others can host a similar summit in their county or community. Information about the "summit in a box" can be found at http://www.dupage.k12.il.us/community/CivicEducationLinks.html.
This year also brought an effective collaboration between the DuPage ROE, the lieutenant governor's office and others in the passage of HB 2787. This bill, pending funding, authorizes regional superintendents of schools to make grants from the Civic Education Trust Fund. This is a special state fund for any public school that enrolls students in grades 9-12 and that has completed and submitted a civic audit of the school for the purpose of professional development for the school's staff. The successful completion of this audit results in schools being designated as a "Democracy School." Two school districts — Lake Park High School District 108 and West Chicago High School District 94 — have earned this prestigious recognition. The goal of the DuPage ROE is to have every school in DuPage County become a democracy school. More information about becoming a democracy school can be found at: http://www.crfc.org/civiccert.html.
To keep democracy alive, we must teach our children that the question that Lincoln posed at Gettysburg — whether this country, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure — remains open.
We must get our children off the sidelines and into the arena so that this country can have a new birth of freedom! We can do it if we have the political will and the greatness of heart to make it happen.