Civical knowledge

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Civics Knowledge
Civic education for citizenship is a fundamental and first step of safeguarding the future of American democracy. It is undeniable that America with its rich political history as the world’s old constitutional democracy and its strong political institution has been achieved through active citizenship participation (Branson & Quigley 2). Although a few people feel that civic education has not accomplished its goals, many scholars from various fields concur that civic education is crucial as it empowers both students and the public to take a stand and also promotes active participation in public policy decisions.
Thanks to civic education many young citizens and senior citizens are now actively taking their personal stands and adding their voices to matters affecting Americans. Massive shootings in schools are undeniably one of the issues that have caused a public outcry in America in recent times. Many high school students rather than waiting to be further victimized decided to voice their grievances through public demonstrations and walkouts (Graham & Weingarten 5). Thanks to civic education the students and other citizens were informed and consequently have been using their constitutional right to speak out their views, which, in turn, promotes the democratic space in America.
Civic education also leads to active citizenship. It means that individuals get involved in their respective communities and democracy at different stages, starting with their municipalities to nationwide issues.

Active citizenship also entails small initiatives such as running for a course or cleaning a street in the neighborhood. Such campaigns are popular in America, and they go a long way in promoting democracy in America.
Nevertheless, some people argue that civic education has failed to achieve active citizenship, especially among the young adults. They claim that this is evident in social problems such as low voter turnout and apathy. Recent statistics revealed that only 12% of young adults take part in politics and government affairs (Branson 3). Despite the statistics, many scholars note that on the contrary many young people are concerned about community issues and participate actively.
In brief, it is widely acknowledged that civic education is crucial to guarantee America’s democracy and the rights that the citizens enjoy. Civic education promotes active citizenship and also empowers people to voice their views. On the flipside, it is argued that it does not lead to active participation due to the declining numbers of youths involved in public life. Perhaps more civic education courses need to be introduced in schools to address this shortcoming.
Works Cited
Branson, Margaret Stimmann, and Charles N. Quigley. “The role of civic education.” (1998): 2014.
Branson, Margaret. “The Importance of Promoting Civic Education.” (2003).
Graham, Bob, and Randi Weingarten. “The Power of Active Citizenship: A Renewed Focus on Teaching Civics Education.” American Educator 42.2 (2018): 4.