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Show ^.Monday, March 27,2006 Wi The Utah Statesman OpinioM Education is not by math alone Former justice Sandra Day O'Connor weighs in on import of civic education ' Fierce global competition racy - needs to be on par with prompted President Bush to use other academic subjects. This is not a new idea. Our the State of the Union address to call for better math and sci- first public schools saw educaence education, where there's tion for citizenship as a core evidence that many schools are part of their mission. Eighty years ago, John Dewey said, falling short. We should be equally trou- "Democracy needs t o . b e bled by another shortcoming in reborn in every generation and American schools: Most young education is its midwife." people today simply do not But in recent years, civic nave an adequate understand- learning has been pushed ing of how our aside. Until the government and 1960s, three political system courses in civics work, and they and government Voices are thus not well were common in prepared to particiAmerican high pate as citizens. schools, and two of them ("civThis country has long exem- ics" and "problems of democplified democratic practice to racy") explored the role of citithe rest of the world. With zens ana encouraged students the attention we are paying to to discuss current issues. Today advancing democracy abroad, those courses are very rare. we ought not neglect it at What remains is a course on home. "American government" that Two-thirds of 12th-graders usually spends little time on scored below "proficient" on how people can - and why the last national civics assess- they should - participate. The ment in 1998, and only 9 per- effect of reduced civic learning cent could list two ways a on civic life is not theoreticar democracy benefits from citi- Research shows that the better zen participation. Yes, young people understand our history people remain highly patriotic, and system of government, the and many volunteer in their more likely they are to vote and communities. But most are participate in the civic life. largely disconnected from curWe need more and better rent events and issues. classes to impart the knowlA healthy democracy edge of government, history, depends on the participation of law and current events that citizens, and that participation students need to understand is learned behavior; it doesn't and participate in a democratic just happen. As the 2003 report republic. And we also know 'The Civic Mission of Schools" that much effective civic learnnoted: "Individuals do not ing takes place beyond the automatically become free and classroom - in extracurricular responsible citizens, but must activity, service work that is be educated for citizenship." connected to class work, and That means civic learning - other ways students experience educating students for democ- civic life. Nat'l View Preserving our democracy should be reason enough to promote civic learning. But there are other benefits. Understanding society and how we relate to each other fosters the attitudes essential for success in college, work and communities; it enhances student learning in other subjects. Economic and technological competitiveness is essential, and America's economy and technology have flourished because of the rule of law and the "assets" of a free and open society. Democracy has been good for business and for economic well-being. By the same token, failing to hone the civic tools of democracy will have economic consequences. Bill Gates - a top business and technology leader - argues strongly that schools have to prepare students not only for college and career but for citizenship as well. None of this is to diminish the importance of improving math and science education. This latest push, as well as the earlier emphasis on literacy, deserves support. It should also be the occasion for a broader commitment, and that means restoring education for democracy to its central place in school. We need more students proficient in math, science and engineering. We also need them to be prepared for their role as citizens. Only then can self-government work. Only then will we not only be more competitive but also remain the beacon of liberty in a tumultuous world. Sandra Day O'Connor and Roy Romer wrote this column for The Washington Post. The EXPERTISE of TWO Gene Necdham and Tiin Hanscn from S.E. 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Feingold, who appears likely to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, is positioning himself as the next Howard Dean: the truthteller willing to confront Bush when a spineless party establishment won't. In that sense, Feingold might welcome opposition to the resolution from his Democratic colleagues. The more they oppose him, the more they prove his point. But the debate also seems the nearly inevitable product of Washington's unending spiral of conflict. The resolution wasn't the first punch in this fight. It followed months of frustration among Senate Democrats over the White House's refusal to provide meaningful answers about the NSA program and the unwillingness of most Senate Republicans to demand them. The Senate Judiciary Committee is exploring the program's legal justification, out shortly before Feingold introduced his proposal, the Senate Intelligence Committee, on a party-line vote, rejected an investigation of the program's operation. The same day, four Senate Republicans introduced legislation to legalize the program with little change. Now, the question is whether everyone involved wants to find solutions - or just escalate further. A showdown over censure promises unnecessary division. But so does the prospect of Republicans imposing a COP-only solution to the NSA controversy. The country needs a stable strategy for collecting intelligence on terrorists, and that will come only with a bipartisan consensus on the balance between civil liberties and national security. Whether the Senate endorses, rejects or ignores Feingold's resolution, the job of fashioning such a durable accommodation will still be waiting. Ronald Brownstein wrote this column for The Los Angeles Times. I S STUDYING Take a Break YOU OUT PIZZA 755-9700 910 North Main Street "STRESS BREAKER SPECIALS'' DELIVERY! ITkdium 1 Targe Mopping Pizza 1-Topping Pizza i .«<»««• IMZZA Logan Store only. Coupon required. Additional loppings extra. 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