Superintendent Critchfield is right. Strong civics education in schools is essential.
But what is civics? And for that matter, what is learning? AI can give us the tiny fish of a definition or the standard Latin root for “civics” and some history… but actually having an education in civics is more about learning to fish for ourselves.
A great curriculum is great! Great teaching of great curriculum is great! But civics is the kind of animal that needs doing. When schools start and finish civics instruction with only school rules and booklearning, students never understand what the hardfought development of civics actually involves. And who among us as a kid hasn’t relished breaking arbitrary-feeling school rules and laughed about it? We want students to understand civics because we want good citizens who have a stake in our society…