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In reply to the discussion: What school courses were mandatory for you to take that are probably not required today [View all]Oopsie Daisy
(6,567 posts)While it hasn't disappeared entirely, your presumption that it's "still a required course" is wrong. Less than half of states (40%) require a civics exam for graduation. 38 states require a stand-alone civics course in high school, but only six of those require a full year.
Civics education in the U.S. began a significant decline in the 1960s. This was partly due to factors like: The No Child Left Behind Act, for example, prioritized reading and math, leading to a decrease in instructional time for other subjects like civics.
Many are concerned about the decline in civics education and its potential impact on civic engagement and democratic values. The politicization of civics education has discouraged some teachers and administrators from engaging with the subject as deeply as they might otherwise.
Initiatives and Model Curricula: Organizations like the Educating for American Democracy initiative are working to revitalize civics education through new guidelines and curricula.
While civics is often "integrated" into in a perfunctory way into "social studies" standards in all 50 states, the fact remains that dedicated and comprehensive civics coursework is not universally required, and the depth of instruction varies.
Fortunately, there are growing efforts and recognition of the importance of restoring and strengthening civics education in American schools.
https://www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org/
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