Sunday, January 6, 2008

Education = Civics?


Happy Monday,

As we discussed last week, American political thought has always been tied to the idea of "positive liberty."

In cast you forgot, "positive liberty" deals with the freedom and imperative to "do something for the good of the community," as opposed to "negative liberty," which deals only with "freedom FROM" the rules and regulations of the community.

Many famous political thinkers have thus believed that it is the primary role of public education to provide students with a civic education. Do you agree?

For today's blog, please respond to the following questions. One paragraph for each question should do the trick.

1. Do you believe that the first priority of public schools should be to educate their students in the political
and civic duties of American citizens?

2. Do you believe that RLA, or any other school you've attended, has made this their first priority?

3. Do you think American high school students receive a civic education that prepares them for the
responsibility of "positive liberty" in the United States?

Have fun,

-Ned-

9 comments:

RULER OF GALAXY said...

Yes, I think people in the US are under educated about the US. I think that imigrants are more educatied than many americans about the US. If we tought them in highschool they might be aware of there duties as americans.

I don't think any school i've attended has made it there first priority. I think RLA has tried the hardest to teach me this.

I don't think the've recieved the civic education to prepare them for the positive liberty of the US. I think they are not tought enough abought civics in school. I think the schools should work harder to educate the kids about US civics.

Spanish said...

1. I believe that public schools do not make political and civic duties of American citizens their first priority. I believe this because in the three years of high school that I have gone through this is the first time that I have learned about any of our political or civic duties as Americans.

2. I believe that RLA has currently tried to make it one of the priorities to teach its students about political and civic duties. I also believe that after this year they will start not only teaching this to joiners but to all other classes also.

3. I do not feel that high school students just graduated do not know enough about positive liberty in the United States because they have had only one year of it. Positive liberty is not something that you can learn in 6 months. You need to actually understand it and be able to talk about it instead of just saying I could pass a test about it.

ladysman217 said...

1. I think that public schools do not make political and civic duties of American citizens their first priority. when i was at Chase all they where teaaching was W.A.S.L prep.

2. RLA yes some what public school no just a bunch of wasl preperation.

3. i think that American high school students receive a civic education that prepares them for the responsibility of "positiveliberty" in the United States mabey just a rough knowledge of the matter.

Stone.DRY said...

I think that is is a good thing, but other very important subjects should be matched with it like math and english.


any school ive have been to has done nothing other than this one.


No i dont think american high chools get educated enough in civics. I have only seen one school teach anything about politics.

Murphs said...

I believe that the first priority of public schools is to educate the students to hopefully be active in society and responsible in doing so.

I also think that almost all the schools I've attended, five total, it was only with Ned's arrival to RLA that I received any civic education at all.

American high school students are released onto the world with enough of a civic education to get them by in the world, but not enough for the responsibility of the 'positive liberty' the Ned's talking about.

The dog lets Brandon bark at noon said...

1. I do think that schools need to educate students in political subjects. Students need to know whats going on in the world if they like it or not.

2. Honestly RLA has taught me alot of stuff abot politics. I dont think that alot of other schools care to much other than theyre planned daily teachings.

3. CHEEESE

Anonymous said...

No, I do not think that should be the first priority of public schools. I do think that maybe in classroom history we should incorporate more political and civic duties.

No, Schools focus more on history and not on this aspect of history education.

No, I think that our high school students need to lean more about civic duties and positive liberty in the United States.

Morrison T. said...

1: I think that our schools should teach kids about politics and citizenship. I think it would be good if teachers taught the basic history of American politics and our government before they force their opinions on students. Of course a thorough job will never be done of this because greater resistance might be met if children are well educated on politics.
2: No, I don’t believe RLA has done a good job of this, as most everyone including myself is clueless about such topics. I think we should instate a mandatory 2 hour civics program every day and also start the morning with the pledge of allegiance and our national anthem.
3: Absolutely not; this generation is purposefully being taught to be perfect clones exclusively by our school systems and therefore they will only prepare students with a very basic education; just enough to keep them loyal and blind to the truth.

Trogdor said...

I think we need to make civics an education priority in America. People should feel an obligation to vote and be a part of their country.

RLA has gotten me more involved with civics than any other school.

For the most part I believe High School students do not recieve the education required to be in a democracy.