How should american students understand their civic culture? the continuing battle over the 2002 Massachusetts history and social science curriculum framework

I write as the former administrator in the Massachusetts Department of Education who was responsible for the development of the 2002 Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework. This essay is a slightly revised version of written testimony invited by Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, United States Senate, for a hearing titled “What Is Your Child Reading in School? How Standards and Textbooks Influence Education.” The hearing was held at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 430, Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, September 24, 2003. The oral testimony is available on a transcription of the hearing, and the full written version of my testimony has been entered into the public record. The hearing was an exploratory one, possibly the first of many others on this topic, and unconnected at the moment to any proposed legislation

The anti-civic effects of popular culture on American teenagers

Civic participation and civic awareness is essential to the maintenance of American democracy. Strong civic communities serve to promote prosperity, ensure the resolution of collective problems, and act as a check upon the power of the state. But in 2002, there is little doubt that, across a wide range of indicators, America’s civic culture is in decline. Voting rates have fallen rapidly over the past several decades, and so too has trust in government. Equally troubling Ec002 Massachusetts Department of Education [email protected] Massachusetts Department of Education Massachusetts Department of Education Massachusetts Department of Education [email protected] Anders Lewis Jennifer Butler Melanie Winklosky Sandra Stotsky ESE Nº002 2002 is the disconcerting dearth of civic knowledge among American youths and the drop in participation, among all Americans, in numerous civic organizations, from church-affiliated groups to voluntary and fraternal organizations as well as women’s auxiliaries and unions. There are many causes for these trends. This paper examines how popular culture affects civic participation and civic awareness among a group of particularly active teenagers in Massachusetts. We found that popular culture has a generally negative influence on civic life but that its effects are not one-sided and that it can be mitigated by strong families and quality schools committed to an academic and civic education

How should american students understand their civic culture? the continuing battle over the 2002 Massachusetts history and social science curriculum framework

I write as the former administrator in the Massachusetts Department of Education who was responsible for the development of the 2002 Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework. This essay is a slightly revised version of written testimony invited by Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, United States Senate, for a hearing titled “What Is Your Child Reading in School? How Standards and Textbooks Influence Education.” The hearing was held at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 430, Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, September 24, 2003. The oral testimony is available on a transcription of the hearing, and the full written version of my testimony has been entered into the public record. The hearing was an exploratory one, possibly the first of many others on this topic, and unconnected at the moment to any proposed legislation