Civic Education
Why Civic Education Matters
I sheepishly admit that I’m among the many in the U.S. who don’t have a great grasp of how our republic actually works. Though I am learning! The more I research for this Civic Education page, the more appalled I am at the statistics: civic education has been consistently de-prioritized in public schools for decades. This space is here to highlight why civic education matters — and steps we can take to make it matter again.
🌱Civic Education Lays the Foundation for a Healthy Democracy
The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute puts it plainly:
“Civic education lays the foundation for a healthy democracy. It helps individuals understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens while teaching them how government works at the local, state, and national levels. By fostering this knowledge, we encourage individuals to become active participants in shaping the policies that affect their communities and lives. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor believed that a strong democracy relies on informed citizens who are engaged in the civic process.”
— Sandra Day O’Connor Institute
Benjamin Franklin captured the same truth at the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Asked what kind of government had been created, he replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.” The responsibility is on all of us to understand, maintain, and renew our democracy.
🌱 Despite the Importance, Civic Education Is Undervalued
The American Bar Association reports that while civics was once a staple of U.S. education, knowledge has declined:
In a 2022 survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, less than half of U.S. adults (47%) could name all three branches of government — down from 56% in 2021, and the first decline on this question since 2016. Confidence in government has also eroded: only 5% of Americans have a “great deal” of confidence in Congress, 13% in the Supreme Court, and 16% in the presidency.
— American Bar Association
At the state level, the National Association of State Boards of Education notes:
“While proficiency is the goal, about a third of students are not meeting even the NAEP [National Assessment of Educational Progress] Basic benchmark — meaning they likely cannot describe the structure and function of U.S. government.”
— NASBE
🌱 Civic Illiteracy Fuels Polarization and Disengagement
Lack of quality civic education contributes to declining participation and deepening political polarization. When citizens lack a basic understanding of how government works, they feel less confident in engaging — and are more vulnerable to misinformation.
A Fair Elections Center report in 2024 found that many young people struggle with simple tasks like finding polling locations. Without civic grounding, misinformation and bias can spread unchecked. However, the author challenged this assumption, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility and initiative in seeking out accurate information.
Teachers are also squeezed. A 2023 study by the RAND Corporation found that 65% of K–12 teachers reported self-censoring political and social discussions in the classroom, largely out of fear of parental backlash and uncertainty about support from school leadership. Yet these very conversations — practicing respectful debate, critical thinking, and deliberation — are the skills students most need to navigate a divided democracy.
The result is a vicious cycle: fewer informed citizens → less participation → more polarization → even less support for teaching civics. However, Georgetown’s Center for a Political Future warns that when those who are most politically active are “close-minded, faithful partisans,” higher turnout alone won’t solve the problem — it can worsen division.
Back in 2013, Harvard’s Institute of Politics put it this way: “Engaging the next generation is the best long-term solution to problems of polarization, incivility, and dysfunction.”
🌱 Digital Challenges Add Fuel to the Fire
Today’s information landscape magnifies the risks of civic illiteracy. Social media platforms spread news faster than ever, but not always accurately. Without a strong foundation in civics, citizens are more vulnerable to misinformation, conspiracy theories, and polarizing content.
Multiple research studies support the claim that younger Americans frequently turn to social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for political information. A Pew Research Center study published in September 2025 found that 43% of adults under 30 regularly get their news from TikTok, a sharp increase from 9% in 2020. This trend is not confined to TikTok; studies also point to high use of YouTube and Instagram among young adults for election and political news.
The risks of consuming news from these sources — where opinion and entertainment often blend with factual reporting — are also well-documented. A July 2024 study cited by the New York Post found that while most Gen Z-ers know how to fact-check, they often rely on influencers and comment sections to vet information rather than doing it themselves.
This reliance can be problematic. As explained in a March 2025 LinkedIn article, social media algorithms create echo chambers that reinforce existing biases and limit exposure to diverse viewpoints. A May 2025 report from Tufts’ CIRCLE found that young people who rely heavily on social media for political information are less likely to vote, while voters are more likely to seek out news from traditional websites.
Research also shows that younger people are more susceptible to misinformation than older generations, which can lead to distrust in all media and potentially dampen their willingness to vote.
These findings confirm that while social media provides immediate access to information, it also creates significant challenges in distinguishing fact from fiction. A solid grounding in civics and media literacy is crucial to equipping young people with the critical thinking skills to question, verify, and contextualize the political information they encounter online. It is necessary for effectively navigating a complex and often-biased digital media environment
🌟 Call to Action
Democracy only works when we all show up — informed and engaged. Start where you are:
- Ask what your children (or grandchildren) are learning in school about civics.
- Bring questions to your school board or PTA.
- Partner with your public library or community groups to organize civic learning opportunities outside school.
- Explore trusted resources across the spectrum:
- iCivics — interactive games and lessons, founded by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
- Bill of Rights Institute — resources rooted in America’s founding documents.
- National Constitution Center — bipartisan exhibits, podcasts, and lesson plans.
- Ashbrook Center — civic education grounded in primary texts and American history.
✨ Civic education doesn’t belong to one side of the aisle. Wherever you lean, the goal is the same: a republic we can keep.
Take Civic Learning Further
Understanding democracy is the first step — now wear it proudly.
Explore our Civic Education Merch Collection for designs that celebrate curiosity, informed voting, and the power of understanding how democracy works.
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Take Civic Curiosity Further
Learning how democracy works can start young — and it should.
Explore our Future Voters (Youth Collection) for designs that spark civic curiosity, confidence, and a sense of belonging in tomorrow’s voters.