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There is a huge push to improve science, reading and math education, and now, social studies which includes history, economics, geography and civics is joining the bunch. Well, it's about time! Afterall, there is so much talk about the economy and how to fix it, how to get citizens involved in the political process, and the move towards participation in a global community. Crazy when some kids don't know how to read a map and don't have any general idea about where things are located in the world. Crazier even still when students leave high school without a fundamental understanding of the principles upon which the United States was built, the principles which work to protect their individual freedoms. Not every student will leave my classroom ready to become a lawyer, but I hope that I am able to teach them the foundations of our Constitution which protect their rights, and instill a respect for the sacrifices of the many people before us who have led the way to a more just society. Even more, I hope that that education inspires them to non-violently stand up for just causes in which they believe.
It is discouraging to read
this report from Teaching Tolerance which rates 35 states as an F in civil rights education. Florida is one of three states that received an A, but even our great state shows room for improvement. When I look at history and civics, the civil rights movement stands out as an illustration on the power of nonviolent protest to making wide scale changes in society. This
Southern Poverty Law Center further analyzes the data, and an interesting trend emerges. The educational institutions in the South score significantly higher than the north, west and midwest.
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