Equity In Civic Education - CivXNow
Equity InCivic EducationWHITE PAPERPRESENTED BY1
Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS3EXECUTIVE SUMMARY4A Definition of Equitable Civic Education5Summary of Takeaways5MAKING THE CASE FOR EQUITY IN K-12 CIVIC EDUCATION6THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCESS14LISTENING TOUR9Listening Tour Stops10Harvest, Alabama: February 24, 202010Chicago, Illinois: July 2, 202010Salinas, California: July 20, 202010Boston, Massachusetts: August 16–19, 202010Waco, Texas: August 18, 202010Albuquerque, New Mexico: August 27, 202010Austin, Texas: September 1, 202010Themes and Lessons from the Listening TourGenerationCitizen.orgiCivics.orgEDUCATION IMPROVEMENT AND SYSTEMS CHANGE1012Some Existing Initiatives that Focus on Systems Change12One Case Study: Democracy Schools13Holistic and Collaborative ApproachesSocial and Emotional LearningREFLECTIONS141416Process Versus Solutions16A Racial Justice Moment17Considering Other Stakeholders17Considering Other Fields17CONCLUSION18Next Steps and REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE21Political Knowledge23Civic Engagement23Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)24Discussion of Controversial Issues25Digital Literacy25A Related Approach: Social and Emotional Learning26Conclusion27REFERENCES282Equity In Civic Education White Paper
AcknowledgementsSTEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERSSteven Becton, Facing HistoryHardin Coleman, Boston University WheelockCollege of Education and Human DevelopmentAmber Coleman-Mortley, iCivicsLouise Dubé, iCivicsRashid Duroseau, Democracy Prep Public SchoolsVerneé Green, Mikva ChallengeShawn Healy, Robert R. McCormick FoundationEmma Humphries, iCivicsRob Jagers, Collaborative For Academic,Social, And Emotional LearningJoe Kahne, Civic Engagement Research Groupat University of California-RiversideKei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Center for Information &Research on Civic Learningand Engagement at Tufts UniversityAverill Kelley, University of NevadaLas Vegas Doctoral StudentGabrielle Lamplugh, The David MathewsCenter for Civic LifeGeorge Luján, SouthWest Organizing ProjectScott Warren, Generation CitizenAndrew Wilkes, Generation CitizenGeneration Citizen and iCivics would like tothank the William & Flora Hewlett Foundationfor their support of this project.EDITORDr. Jane C. Lo, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education,College of Education, Michigan State UniversityCO-AUTHORSSteve Becton, Chief Officer of Equity & Inclusion, Facing History and UrbanEducation Doctoral Candidate, University of MemphisDr. Hardin L.K. Coleman, Professor of Counseling Psychology andApplied Human Development and Dean Emeritus, BU WheelockCollege of Education and Human DevelopmentDr. Shawn Healy, Democracy Program Director, Robert R. McCormickFoundationDr. Emma Humphries, Chief Education Officer andDeputy Director of CivXNow, iCivicsDr. Robert J. Jagers, Vice President of Research, Collaborativefor Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)Dr. Joseph Kahne, Dutton Presidential Chair for Education Policyand Politics and Co-Director of Civic Engagement Research Group,University of California, RiversideDr. Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Director of Center for Information & Researchon Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), Jonathan M. TischCollege of Civic Life, Tufts UniversityGabrielle Lamplugh, Education Director, The David MathewsCenter for Civic LifeAndrew Wilkes, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, GenerationCitizen and Political Science Doctoral Candidate, City University ofNew York Graduate CenterRESEARCH ASSISTANTSMatt Nelson, Department of Political Science, Doctoral Candidate andGraduate Fellow of Legal Studies, Northwestern UniversityZoe Nuechterlein, English BA Senior, Yale UniversityPHOTO CREDITSDemocracy Prep Public SchoolsGeneration CitizeniCivicsSuggested Citation:Equity in Civic Education Project (2020). Equity in civiceducation [White paper]. J. C. Lo (Ed.). Generation Citizen and iCivics.Equity In Civic Education White Paper3
Executive SummaryCivic education has been a central purpose ofschooling in the United States since the founding ofthis country. Although definitions of citizenship andparticipation have shifted throughout history, bothends of the US political spectrum have largely agreedon the importance of educating its citizens to knowand participate in our particular form of governance.As civic educators, we areproud of the work wedo to elevate young people’sunderstanding of governmentand their engagementwith the system. However, wealso noticed that, muchlike the society we mirrored,we had an equity issue.Especially in times of turmoil, the United States has looked to civiceducation as a way to help strengthen the health of our nation.1 The socialand political upheavals of 2020 are no exception. The COVID-19 pandemichas unleashed a global health crisis unseen in the modern era, causingmassive disruptions to public life. At the same time, our ongoing workgained renewed urgency in the wake of the death of George Floyd,Breonna Taylor, along with far too many other unarmed Black Americansat the hands of the police, has elevated public concern around racialinequity in our society, causing millions of people to reconsider theirresponsibility in combating systemic racism. All the while, groups ofindividuals are using misinformation and disinformation in virtual spacesto further incite fear and mistrust amongst the people. Regardless of one’spartisan beliefs, there is a sense that our society is under attack. However,young people are showing us that they care about these issues of equity2and are willing to work for a better future. So how can the field of civiceducation, with a myriad non-profits, K-12 service providers, and educators, help young people both better understand the governmental systemand tackle the unprecedented social challenges of the moment?Long before COVID-19 curtailed public life, a group of civic educators(hosted by two of the leading civic education organizations in the UnitedStates: Generation Citizen and iCivics, with support from the William &Flora Hewlett Foundation) gathered to examine our role in the racialinequities that we see in our field. As civic educators, we are proud ofthe work we do to elevate young people’s understanding of governmentand their engagement with the system. However, we also noticed that,much like the society we mirrored, we had an equity issue. Even thoughthere are signs of a growing number of leaders of color within the field, amajority of non-profit civic providers still have predominantly white staffand leadership. They also work with a mostly white female teaching forceto help educate an increasingly diverse student population, with outdatedcurricula that do not adequately reflect the lived experiences of all students.Recognizing that the field of civic education grapples with these typesof power imbalances and issues of inequity, we wanted to scrutinize thework that we do and the vision of equity we have for the future. To learnfrom the field, we sought out civic education stakeholders (e.g., students,teachers, principals, researchers, and parents) across the nation to hearwhat they had to say about civic inequity. We present our discoveries andprovide a few actionable suggestions in this white paper as insights intohow to achieve more equitable civic education.See for example the progressive moment of the 1930s; the anti-communist policies of the1950s; or civil rights education in the 1970s, etc.1See outh-activism for examples ofyouth-led racial equity projects.2Equity In Civic Education White Paper4
GenerationCitizen.orgiCivics.orgA DEFINITION OF EQUITABLE CIVIC EDUCATIONTrue to the tenets of our democracy, we believe equitable civiceducation is inclusive, representative, and relevant; it promotesdiverse voices and draws on students’ lived experiences andperspectives in order to engage them in understanding socialissues, the power dynamics that cause them, and the power thatyoung people have to bring change. This means that equitablecivics cannot just be about the structures and functions ofgovernment. Instead, a high-quality civic education programinvolves knowledge about how a civil society works, an understanding about one’s place within that civil society, an awarenessof how one can have an impact on their society, and, ideally,structured opportunities to put that knowledge, understanding,and awareness into practice (Lin, 2015).At a bare minimum, this means being concerned with equalityof civic access and civic outcomes. But it also means attendingto a collective civic narrative that reflects the fullness andbroadness of our diverse society instead of just highlightingthe perspectives of some. It should include our triumphs, ourfailures, our strengths, and our weaknesses. And rather thanonly celebrating the ideals of what could be, it should includethe struggles we have experienced (and continue to experience)in an effort to reach those ideals as a people. Instead ofassuming we are already one united people, equitable civicstakes to heart the motto of our nation, e pluribus unum—aperennial struggle to be one from the many. Whether it bethe ideological battles between the men that ratified theConstitution, the bloodshed of the Civil War, our continual fightfor racial equity, or our celebration of individual differences—weare a people striving to be one through different means andideologies. At the best of times, our battles can lead to mutualunderstanding; at the worst of times, our conflicts are asquabble for power and dominance. Equitable civics recognizesand celebrates both of these continual conflicts and the desireto be united: Wearing our scars proudly lest we forget thelessons we learn through these struggles. E pluribus unumis not a given, it is a constant balance to be struck generationafter generation. So how do we help the next generation prepareto take the helm? By engaging them and empowering them now.SUMMARY OF TAKEAWAYSIn order for young people to take part in this process, they mustnot only understand our history and our present, but also beequipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to engageproductively with our system of governance. From our work overthe past 2 years, we have learned that to achieve more equitablecivics requires the field of civic education (and its stakeholders)to thoughtfully and continuously reimagine the curricular andinstructional goals of civics, provide curriculum and instructionthat takes into account students’ needs holistically, and constructcoherent civic education programs with district and stateleaders. Later portions of this paper detail these findings in full,but for now, let us summarize some of these findings.Through this process, we learned that parents, communitymembers, and students care a great deal about the civiceducation of young people. They worry about the currentstate of civic education, noting especially the inequities thatoccur within existing programs. Participants of our listeningtour events agree across the board that civic education shouldreceive more resources, funding, and support from the districtand state-level leadership. Similarly, they emphasized theimportance of engaging students in relevant civic issues thatreflect their lived experiences. Finally, there was overwhelmingagreement on the need to ensure equitable access anddistribution of experiential civic experiences for both youthand adults within a community.Given that engagement with the system is a deeply personalprocess for students, we recognize the need for civic education,in conjunction with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL),to provide effective, coordinated strategies, programs, andpractices that not only help students learn more about theirrole in our system of governance, but also address their needsholistically. The positive impact of SEL programs on students’behaviors and attitudes as well as increased social, emotional,and academic competence development shows that addressingthe holistic needs of students is paramount to the success ofany movement towards more equitable civics.At the same time, it takes leadership and vision to provide asupportive environment to successfully prepare the wholechild to take his or her place in the world as an informed andengaged citizen. To that end, we have learned that communities will be well served to develop and implement a comprehensive and coherent approach to achieving equitablecivic outcomes, rather than leaving civic education to chanceor the purview of individual teachers. Our report showcasesone example of such a program; however, we recognize thatcommunities differ and there is not one approach that worksfor all communities; therefore, each community should choosean approach that is aligned to their context and values.In the following sections of this report, we present therationale for conducting this work on Equity in K-12 CivicEducation; the process of our work; lessons learned as outlinedby our listening tour; and a case for systemic educational change.Finally, we close this report with some honest reflectionsabout this process as well as concluding thoughts and recommendations to help move the field forward. We hope this paperserves as a starting place, however limited, for the field ofcivic education to grapple with its own equity challengesthrough further research, curriculum design, and providingprofessional development for teachers, administrators,and civic providers.Equity In Civic Education White Paper5
Making the Case for Equityin K-12 Civic EducationAfter decades of de-prioritization, civic learning is experiencinga resurgence. The increased attention on equity in K-12 civiceducation has been one aspect of that resurgence.By equitable civic education, we mean: a civic learning experience that isinclusive, representative, and relevant; one that promotes diverse student voicesand draws on students’ lived experiences and perspectives in order to engagethem in understanding social issues, the power dynamics that cause them, and thepower that young people have to bring about change. Equity in civic educationis especially timely for the country’s public life for a variety of reasons:By equitable civic education,we mean: a civic learning experiencethat is inclusive, representative, andgProliferation of policy efforts across the US. According to EducationWeek,more than 80 civics bills have been introduced in states across the country,which impacts how young people, teachers, and community members viewthe health and trajectory of our nation.gIncreasing commitment to racial equity in K-12 civic education by funders andcivic education organizations in response to (1) exacerbated digital dividescaused by the COVID-19 crisis, (2) socio-political unrest, and (3) youth-ledprotests during the summer of 2020 in response to policing issues; all punctuatedby public attention to the 2020 presidential election cycle.gGrowing attention devoted to lived civics and racial equity amid demographicchange in the country. In contrast to the nation’s increasingly diverse studentpopulation, our teacher workforce does not adequately reflect student demographics,nor are students’ voices always seen as additive to the civic learning process.relevant; one that promotesdiverse student voices and draws onstudents’ lived experiencesand perspectives in order to engagethem in understanding social issues,the power dynamics that causethem, and the power that youngpeople have about change.Working towards equity in K-12 civic education, ideally, entails a concurrentemphasis on both equity and equality. Civic education can ensure that all studentshave access to a comprehensive civic learning experience that provides a culturallyrelevant civic education, while also providing the foundational aspects of civicknowledge, dispositions, and skills requisite for informed, lifelong politicalparticipation. Civic learning that covers the origins and purposes of our nation’sgovernment institutions, speaks to the lived experiences of students, and isrooted in our complex history provides a powerful framework for students to thinkthrough, and work towards, a vibrant constitutional democracy. As the Federalistpapers exemplified the founders’ complex moment, civics today should prepare usto face the hard questions and conundrums of our current realities.We hope an equity-oriented civic education might establish a renewedconfidence that the United States’ democratic experiment is worth deepeningand developing, precisely because it holds so many differences, not in spiteof them. We believe this confidence is a precondition for stewarding our countrythrough what is not just political polarization, but often our mutual suspicionand resentment of one another. At a moment when both the idea and idealsof our governance are undergoing sustained challenges, revitalizing civiceducation—with an emphasis on equity—holds the potential to undergird anethos of national unity without uniformity that is needed to ensure that allstudents, without exception, and without erasure, are prepared tosteward our democratic experiment in the 21st century.6Equity In Civic Education White Paper
GenerationCitizen.orgiCivics.orgThe Importance of ProcessIn the current polarized political landscape, civic educationis tasked not only with helping young people understandhow our government works, but also how to productivelyengage in dialogue when disagreements arise.The first act of this Equityin Civic Education field-buildinginitiative consisted oforganizing a racially diversenational steering committee,composed of civic educationorganizations, social-emotionallearning experts, youth organizers,and academic researchers.The collaborators on this project came together because we wereconcerned about the former, but quickly found ourselves navigating andpracticing through the latter—which in and of itself, is a process worthnoting. Since equity is at the forefront of this project, we sought out toengage different stakeholders, voices, and perspectives on this work.The first act of this Equity in Civic Education field-building initiativeconsisted of organizing a racially diverse national steering committee,composed of civic education organizations, social-emotional learningexperts, youth organizers, and academic researchers. In an effort tomodel the values we promote, we intentionally sought to organize aninclusive steering committee whose members would reflect the spectrumof perspectives, theories of change, and expertise within the civic educationfield. From April 2019 through October 2020, the committee held monthlymeetings to discuss, plan, and implement targeted initiatives designedto define and advance equitable civic education in K-12 settings. Overtime, the composition of the steering committee evolved: Some memberscycled off due to capacity constraints, while others transitioned dueto misalignment of goals and focuses; by contrast, new members joinedthe group, eager to address our nation’s school-based challenges inaddressing racial inequity in civic education.To prepare the steering committee for its work, we engaged a diversity,equity, and inclusion consultant in the early stages of the grant (i.e.,Equity Meets Design). In July 2020, Equity Meets Design conductedone-on-one interviews with members of the committee, organizingconversations around a standardized set of questions designed to providea problem-centered approach to naming, confronting, and solving forequity-oriented challenges in K-12 civic learning. Initial enthusiasm forthe problem-centered approach waned over the course of the group’swork, because the committee became more focused on balancingproblems and solutions as a way to tackle equity issues in education.Prior to COVID-19, and certainly after it, the steering committee discoveredthe benefits—and challenges—of sustaining group engagement virtuallyon a monthly basis. To best organize its work into managea
Feb 24, 2020 · Equity In Civic Education White Paper Table of Contents GenerationCitizen.org iCivics.org ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 A Definition of Equitable Civic Education 5 Summary of Takeaways 5 MAKING THE CASE FOR EQUITY IN K-12 CIVIC EDUCATION 6 THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCESS 14
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