[Note: This posting, the previous several postings,
and at least the one to follow are a restatement of what has been addressed
previously in this blog. Some of the
sentences to come have been provided before but the concern is that other
information has been discovered and an update seems appropriate. The blog has not changed the overall message
– that civics education is seriously deficient – but some of the evidence needs
updating.]
This blog presently is
offering reportage on evidence as to the deficiencies of civics education in
the nation’s classrooms. While early on,
the blog shared civics test results by secondary students and college students,
the bulk of the evidence refers to those behaviors one associates with good
citizenship. After all, the reason educational
policy includes civics and social studies as part the curriculum is to
encourage those behaviors and activities citizens expect from their fellow
citizens.
This blog has identified various types
of behavior as being those actions that good citizens perform. They learn and therefore know about their
government and about related politics characterizing their government. They engage in civic activities, including
political engagement, and, to be effective, learn and actuate political
skills. They generally behave with
civility in their social interactions and they abide by the laws of their
nation, state, and/or local jurisdictions.
This
blog claims that one can judge how well civics is doing by observing how well
Americans do these things. To this
point, the blog has reported updated information concerning the
governmental/political knowledge component and the civic/political engagement
component of this responsibility. This
posting picks up what the prior posting began; it further reports on how well
Americans behave with civility.
First,
a bit of context. This blog has argued
that the nation, as its main view of government and politics, adopted a natural
rights view. That view holds that
individuals have the right to determine those values and goals he/she
determines to be best for him/her. This
is not only protected legally, but as something to be judged as admirable. Those who argue for this position, often argue
that that view was central to the founding fathers. They claim it is a basic view held within the
Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. This blog has argued that that ascription is
incorrect.
This
blog has offered another view of rights or liberty to have been central to the
founding fathers; that is, a federal rights/liberty view. The blog has dedicated a lot of space
defining and explaining federal liberty but here let it suffice to say that federal
liberty is the right to do what one should do.
This other view reflects a political construct that was prominent in
America in the years leading up to World War II. This blog calls that view federation theory.
But
since the natural rights view has “taken over,” there has been in ever
increasing levels of a politics that center itself on citizens being solely
concerned with their personal interests and dismissing the common interest. With this priority, any given citizen has
less and less reason to be knowledgeable, skillful, or engaged with civic
concerns.
It
turns out, he/she is also apt to be less civil.
Unfortunately, given what is reported here, the evidence shows that
civics education has not effectively addressed these trends. The purpose here is to provide that evidence and
hopefully have education officials consider more seriously civility as a topic
of instruction.
The
Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service reports a poll it conducted
on this very topic. Its results are
revealing. Apparently, the poll tapped
into a high degree of frustration with incivility. Americans’ frustration seems to be centered
on the political landscape and it is felt widely among the citizenry. “… [N]inety percent (90%) of voters [report]
they are concerned about the ‘uncivil and rude behavior of politicians’.”[1]
On
its own, this finding might not cause much concern. Many Americans most of the time find
politicians as uncivil. But this poll
goes on. It reveals a central
contradiction within voters. While 85%
of respondents indicate they think politicians should seek and achieve compromise
– find the common ground – they, at a 79% rate, also express being tired of
those very politicians compromising their values.
Instead,
they want those officials to stand their ground when dealing with their adversaries. And this finding goes across ideological
divides (85% of Republicans, 69% of Independents, and 78% of Democrats). Upon reflection, how else would a believer in
natural rights tend to think?
He/she
would know that the current inability to achieve agreement is blocking the
government from meeting needs. That
would tend to include some needs of the respondent. But the dilemma is: he/she is not disposed to compromise on those
interests.
Governmental
action tends not to be characterized as furthering a common good, but for
natural rights believers it tends to be equated with any other consumer activity. He/she wants his/her public wants – which are
defined as just other consumer choices – satisfied.
The
GU report further reports the following:
·
83% see what was previously seen as
unacceptable behavior is now accepted as normal.
·
Respondents rated their pessimism over
political discourse, on a scale from 0 (no political division) to 100 (division
verging on civil war), with an average of 70.8 rate and a 75 rate being the
most common response.
·
Respondents blame special interests (81%),
social media (81%), and Trump (78%) for the uncivil atmosphere of the nation’s
politics.
·
Among the actors, respondents place
significant blame for this uncivil environment on the following: GOP leaders among Republicans (62%), Fox News
(53%), Trump (54%), Democratic leaders among Democrats (58%), and CNN (50%).
·
57% of millennials blame social media;
43% of respondents over 65 blame social media.
·
Over 60% of respondents state there is
a growing incivility in the nation’s politics.
In this, women blame Trump responsible (59% as opposed to 48% for men).
·
Men blame Democrats for incivility at a
43% rate; women blame Democrats at a 30% rate.[2]
The GU report summarizes its findings:
“While
voters consistently complain about the lack of civility in our politics, in
reality they appear to be far more conflicted,” said Mo Elleithee, Executive
Director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. “They overwhelmingly say they value leaders
who seek common ground and compromise, but at the same time say they are tired
of leaders compromising their values and want them to stand up to the other
side. It’s clear that voters bear some
responsibility for this tension, and that voters are going to have to play a
role in sorting it out.”[3]
Whether
one agrees that there are pervasive levels of incivility in politics or in
other aspects of social life will probably be based on one’s experience. Earlier, it was alluded to that many have
expressed concern about the lack of civility in our society. It was further mentioned in this blog that
due to this concern and other practical realities associated with this alleged
deficiency, civics education should, to a much greater degree, address the
manifestations of incivility.
But
perhaps the reader is skeptical about the extent of the problem. Are Americans suffering from an undue level of
incivility? To analyze this question, this
account will utilize a concept; i.e., social capital. The problem of incivility can be defined as a
lack of social capital and this blog, in the next posting, will pick up on Robert
D. Putnam’s use of this term. [4]
[1] “New Survey:
Overwhelming in Politics, But Conflicted on Desire for ‘Compromise and
Common Ground’,” GU Politics, Georgetown
Institute of Politics and Public Service, April 24, 2019, accessed April 25,
2019, http://politics.georgetown.edu/press-releases/civility-poll-pr-1/
.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000).
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