Fulfilling the Democratic Aims of Education: A Systemic Approach for Generating Learning Opportunities for Students’ Informed Participation in Civic and Political Life
by Erica Hodgin, Joseph Kahne, and John Rogers
Democracy always has been a core purpose underlying public education. Preparing students to engage in our democracy is not a luxury to be attended to if time permits. It is fundamentally important. Fortunately, when teachers and schools focus on these priorities, there is clear evidence that it promotes students’ civic capacities and commitments. And schools have always provided our best hope for preparing all members of our communities for informed engagement and for fostering a renewed commitment to the common good. While school districts will pursue these goals in differing ways, our experience in Chicago, Riverside and elsewhere has led us to identify several key strategies for advancing civic education system wide.