Public School Teachers Are Working Hard to Build Informed Citizenship

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I mean, one thing is, there's been an attack on public education. But when it comes to talking deeply about civic engagement, imean, a lot of teachers are operating in a crisis kind of state. They don't even have enough resources. There's crowded class rooms. I mean, right before the covet crisis, philadelphia was dealing with like this uspestus poisoning thing. And besides that, you know, thit's been a recurring theme in this seasonnd and on this show over several seasons, that the standardized history and social studies curriculums don't really lend themselves to inspiring kids,. Maybe they avoid a lot of hard truths about the way the

In most American schools, children *hear about* democracy, but don’t get to *practice* it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like?

Story reported by Ben James, with host John Biewen and collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Interviews with Arielle Jennings, Hilary Moss, and Nikole Hannah-Jones.

The series editor is Loretta Williams. Music by the Summer Street Brass Band, Algiers, John Erik Kaada, Eric Neveux, and Lucas Biewen. Music consulting and production help from Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.

Photo: Stephen Buckley, Jelicity Mercado, Bella Goncalves, and Angelica Pareja, eighth-grade students at Pyne Arts Magnet School in Lowell, Massachusetts, with their award at Civics Day in Boston, December 2019.