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March
30, 2007 Project Learning Tree is expanding its GreenWorks! Service-Learning Program. $100,000 will be awarded to schools and youth organizations for environmental neighborhood improvement projects that involve youth with their community. Proposals are due April 30. For more go to: http://www.plt.org/cms/pages/31_41_44.html. March
29, 2007 Reminder: The application deadline for State Farm and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Good Decision Service-Learning Grants is May 1. The $1000 grants, which can be used to develop local service-learning projects for the 2007-08 school year, must address one of the following: prevention of underage alcohol use, vehicle safety or adult impaired driving. For more go to: http://www.pypm.org/pubdocs/2007%20Good%20Decisions%20packet.pdf. March
28, 2007 Pledging
Allegiance: The Politics of Partiotism in America's Schools What
does it mean to be "patriotic" in the United States after
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001? And how have the prevailing
notions of patriotism -- loudly trumpeted in the American media --
affected education in American schools? In this wide-ranging, thoughtful,
and spirited book, renowned educational leaders and classroom practitioners
answer these questions with insights, opinions, and hard facts. They
focus on critical issues related to patriotism and democracy in education,
including the social studies curriculum, military recruitment in schools,
and student dissent. March
27, 2007 The Public Education Network (PEN) announces the following: "How Public Schools Have Promoted the Common Good in the United States" Public education plays a vital role in America's democratic society, and the public spirited missions of public schools remain essential today, according to a new report by the Center on Education Policy. The report, "Why We Still Need Public Schools: Public Education for the Common Good," highlights the history and importance of public education in the United States, dating back to its establishment as a necessary institution for the young republic and Horace Mann's efforts to promote a common school for all. The report focuses on: (1) How and why the U.S. system of public education came into being; (2) The six core public missions that public schools have been expected to fulfill, such as unifying a diverse population, preparing people for democratic citizenship, and ensuring equal opportunities for all children; and (3) Why these missions are relevant today and why the nation must maintain them while pursuing reforms to help all schools live up to these core ideals. The report is part of the Center's ongoing efforts to help Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy and the need to improve the academic quality of public schools. For
more go to: http://www.cep-dc.org/PublicSchoolFacts/why/ March
26, 2007 The March 2007 American Educational Research Journal includes the following articles related to civic education: -"Expanding the Moral Community" or "Blaming the Victim"? The Politics of State Education Accountability Policy by Kathryn A. McDermott - High School Community Service as a Predictor of Adult Voting and Volunteering by Daniel Hart,, Thomas M. Donnelly, James Youniss, and Robert Atkins. For
more go to: http://aerj.aera.net. March
22, 2007 The Public Education Network (PEN) online newsletter announces the following: Can Participation Be Taught? Amid
calls for a dramatic overhaul of American education aimed at preserving
the nation's dominant position in the global economy, there are still
voices advocating more-traditional ideals of education, such as preparation
for living in and passing on a democracy. Though we recognize the
economic role of schooling, many of us continue to worry about declining
voting rates for young people and their lagging civic participation.
Some reformers recommend increased instruction and classroom discussion
about American history -- the various wars, founding documents, social
movements, and national holidays -- to remind students of our democratic
traditions. Such activities are important in helping young people
understand the origins and significance of their rights and responsibilities
as citizens, writes Jeffery J. Miller in Education Week. But voting
rates haven't declined because students aren't exposed to enough history.
Indeed, as an academic subject, American history has managed to survive
more or less intact while civics -- the subject aimed at teaching
the mechanics of civic participation -- has been steadily squeezed
out of the curriculum. Knowledge of the historical development of
our democratic traditions is a necessary component of any comprehensive
effort to foster citizenship and encourage political participation.
But even more important is the knowledge of how to participate and
the belief that one's participation could reasonably lead to a desired
policy change. If students -- especially those from disadvantaged
circumstances -- are not encouraged and provided with opportunities
to engage in community action and politics, it should be no surprise
when they emerge from high school without the skills or inclination
to participate, believing that the process is stacked against them
and that politicians do not listen to them or represent their communities.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/02/21/24miller.h26.html March
21, 2007 Today's
Washington Post contains the following editorial: Joseph Frederick, the protagonist in a case the justices heard Monday, unfurled a banner that read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" across from his Juneau, Alaska, high school in 2002. His unamused principal ripped it down and suspended him. The Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that the principal had violated Mr. Frederick's First Amendment rights; now it's up to the Supreme Court to decide whether Mr. Frederick's sophomoric signage was protected speech. Existing precedent, which is rightly cautious about limiting First Amendment freedoms, indicates that high school administrators can regulate speech on campus if it is school sponsored, vulgar or disruptive to the school's basic work. Mr. Frederick's banner was neither school sponsored nor vulgar, and it did not cause a disturbance on campus. The school's lawyers argue that the banner promoted marijuana smoking, which is antithetical to the school's anti-drug mission. But the sign's nonsensical content does not support that claim. In fact, the banner essentially said nothing and did not cause a stir, so it's difficult to see how it harmed the school's anti-drug efforts. The harder question, which the justices do not necessarily have to answer in this case, is what happens when a student tries to send a real message at school -- perhaps one that is unambiguously pro-auto theft or anti-gay. As current precedent maintains, there is room within the First Amendment for school districts to regulate student speech in order to educate and maintain discipline. That covers speech that is patently offensive. But
as the 9th Circuit pointed out, establishing a standard that is too
deferential to school administrators would make it legal, for example,
to stop students from distributing copies of the Alaska Supreme Court's
decision allowing personal marijuana use in the state. It is distressingly
easy to see how such a precedent could apply to expressions of support
for other activities that administrators might not condone, such as
the distribution of pamphlets discussing civil disobedience or expressions
of disagreement with standing laws. The court should ensure that administrators
cannot define a school's basic educational mission so broadly -- inculcating
"good citizenship," for example -- that they have the power
to suppress any meaningful speech with which they, or their school
boards, disagree." March 21, 2007 The Washington Post. March
20, 2007 The March/April edition of "Citizenship Matters" released by the National Center on Learning and Citizenship at Education Commission for the States highlights the following: Guest
Column What
States Are Doing The
Washington State Legislature adopted a joint resolution acknowledging
the achievements of Washington History Day, a year long education
program empowering teachers to improve history education to provide
students with the understanding and skills to be engaged citizens
and help them develop an appreciation of their heritage. Oregon's
first civic engagement conference was held in January. It was an opportunity
to learn, share, inspire and be inspired. It was, according to participant
Marilyn Walster, a call to action. To subscribe to Citizenship Matters and learn more about the National Center on Learning and Citizenship go to: http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/ProjectsPartners/nclc/nclc_main.htm. March
19, 2007 The following is shared by City Year: Teens
Team Up to Give Back Time
Magazine "Everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. --the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. If everybody can serve, what makes people take the first step? "It's fun, and it's better than watching TV," says Michael Cruz, 17, a 10th-grader at Grace Dodge High School in the South Bronx. At an age when most kids are more interested in sleeping late and hanging out, Michael and more than 1,000 other middle and high schoolers in 16 cities across the country are getting up early on Saturday mornings for a full day of community service in the City Year Young Heroes program. Each Saturday from January to June, teams of mostly middle school students spend the morning learning about an important social issue and exploring opportunities for citizen activism. In the afternoon they perform a service project and reflect on solutions for positive change. Issues they tackle include hunger and homelessness, ageism, HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse, racism and personal conflict. City
Year, founded in 1988, is best known for its program for 17-to-24-year-olds
who volunteer for a full year of service in schools in underserved
communities. The Young Heroes component was started in 1995 when Liana
Gonzalez, a precocious 13-year-old, asked why she couldn't volunteer
in her Boston neighborhood like the older City Year corps members.
The youth program has recently gone national thanks to a major investment
by Bank of America…" March
16, 2007 Florida's Campus Compact would like to make you aware of several upcoming conferences: March
28-31 - National Service Learning Conference: Beyond Borders, Beyond
Boundaries. Go to: http://www.nylc.org For
a more comprehensive listing, go to: http://www.compact.org
or http://www.servicelearning.org. March
14, 2007 The Public Education Network (PEN) online newsletter announces the following: "School
District Mandates Pledge of Allegiance in English Only" March
13, 2007 CIRCLE features the following on its website: "Civic Engagement Among Young Men and Women" Utilizing data from the 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation Survey, and several other sources, we provide new information on the civic engagement of youth, confidence in government, and following public affairs and the news, by gender. Download "Civic Engagement Among Young Men and Women" Since
2001, CIRCLE has conducted, collected, and funded research on the
civic engagement, political participation, and civic education of
young Americans. CIRCLE is based in the University of Maryland's School
of Public Policy and is funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and Carnegie
Corporation of New York. March
12, 2007 The Florida Campus Compact would like to provide a FINAL reminder that proposals for the 7th International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement are just a few days way -- due by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on March 15. This conference will be held October 7-9, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. The theme for the conference is "Sustainability and Scholarship: Research and the K-12 Continuum" and is being hosted by the University of South Florida and co-hosted by Florida State University, Miami Dade College, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Miami. For
more information contact: IRSL@floridacompact.org or call 850-488-7782. March
9, 2007 The Public Education Network (PEN) online newsletter announces the following: How Public Schools Have Promoted the Common Good in the United States Public
education plays a vital role in America's democratic society, and
the public spirited missions of public schools remain essential today,
according to a new report by the Center on Education Policy. The report,
"Why We Still Need Public Schools: Public Education for the Common
Good," highlights the history and importance of public education
in the United States, dating back to its establishment as a necessary
institution for the young republic and Horace Mann's efforts to promote
a common school for all. The report focuses on: (1) How and why the
U.S. system of public education came into being; (2) The six core
public missions that public schools have been expected to fulfill,
such as unifying a diverse population, preparing people for democratic
citizenship, and ensuring equal opportunities for all children; and
(3) Why these missions are relevant today and why the nation must
maintain them while pursuing reforms to help all schools live up to
these core ideals. The report is part of the Center's ongoing efforts
to help Americans better understand the role of public education in
a democracy and the need to improve the academic quality of public
schools. March
8, 2007 Campus Compact Professional Development Institute for Community Service and Service-Learning Professionals Monday,
July 23 Friday, July 27, 2007 Four and a half days of must-have knowledge for new community service and service-learning professionals! Designed specifically for professionals in their first five years in the field, this retreat offers four and a half days of must-have knowledge, from some of the most respected practitioners in the field. This unique gathering offers participants the chance to learn and understand key information and principles in service, service-learning, and higher education; and allows them to discuss with experienced practitioners the critical questions and skills needed to be successful. You
will: Registration
begins March 1, 2007. To Register
online and view past year's agendas go to: http://www.compact.org/initiatives/csd_institute/ March
7, 2007 The most recent edition of Citizenship Matters released by the National Center on Learning and Citizenship at Education Commission for the States highlights the following: - The
National Youth Leadership Council has released a "National
Survey on Service-learning and transitioning to adulthood." The
report on the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, points to the
impact of service-learning on the shift from youth to adulthood. - A
report by the National Association of State Boards of Education,
Citizens for the 21st Century: Revitalizing the Civic Mission of Schools,
recommends that state boards of education transform the culture of
schools and re-emphasize civic education in the standards-based reform
movement. - Nonpartisan forums involving 949 citizens focused on their views of community life and civic skills. The result is a report from the Kettering Foundation, "Public Thinking about Democracy's Challenge: Reclaiming the Public's Role." http://www.ecs.org/00CM936 - NCLC Board member Doug Hart, a former Michigan state representative, is currently teaching English at the Ramallah Friends School. "Behind the Wall" is an online publication produced entirely by students at the school and was featured on the front page of the November 27th issue of The Palestine Chronicle. http://www.ecs.org/00CM946 - A
thematic study on active citizenship has been published. Commissioned
by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in England,
the study uses data from 20 countries to examine active citizenship
from how it is defined, to how it is framed in policy, to how it is
implemented in practice. http://www.ecs.org/00CM947 March
6, 2007 The Brookings Institution announces the following: "Is
Our Election System Broken? Can We Fix It?" On Friday, March 9, 2007, the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project will host a conference entitled "Is Our Election System Broken? Can We Fix It?" The event will take place at the American Enterprise Institute, 1150 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC, from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Panelists at this AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project conference will review the election reform lessons to be learned from the 2006 midterm elections. They will discuss the problems that occurred as well as the federal and state reforms to be considered in the near future. For
more information and to register for the event go to: http://www.electionreformproject.org/Events/bf0ec704-7031-4e15-8c01-f9819785bba6/r1/Detail.aspx. March
5, 2007 Deadline Reminder: Proposals for the Florida Campus Compact's 7th International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement are due by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on March 15. This conference will be held October 7-9, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. The theme for the conference is "Sustainability and Scholarship: Research and the K-12 Continuum" and is being hosted by the University of South Florida and co-hosted by Florida State University, Miami Dade College, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Miami. For
more information contact: IRSL@floridacompact.org or call 850-488-7782. March
2, 2007 The Dirksen Congressional Center announces the following: Call For Participation: Congress in the Classroom 2007 (deadline March 30, 2007) Congress in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program now in its 15th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress. This year, for the first time, The Center will join with the new Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service in conducting the workshop. Congress in the Classroom® is designed for high school or middle school teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science, or social studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2007 to take part in the program. The 2007 program will feature a broad overview of Congress with special attention to the new 110th Congress with the Democrats in charge for the first time in more than a decade. The workshop will be held Monday, July 30 - Thursday, August 2, at the Hotel Pere Marquette, Peoria, Illinois, with workshop sessions to take place in the Peoria Civic Center's new addition. Other Program Highlights In addition to the hour-long sessions described above, they will offer "Sound Bites," or 15-minute sessions, on campaign commercials, campaign literature, a film clip of Senator Dirksen explaining the nature of congressional leadership, a new Web feature dealing with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, among other possibilities. For more information go to: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm. If you
are interested in registering for the Congress in the Classroom 2007
workshop, you can complete an online registration form found at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/programs_CiCapplication.htm. March
1, 2007 The following has been added to Pew Charitable Trust's Youth Civic Initiatives (Pew Prospectus 2007): - New Report Examines the State of Philadelphia in Preparation for the 2007 Municipal Election: The report, Philadelphia 2007: Prospects and Challenges, evaluates Philadelphia's strengths and weaknesses relative to six comparable American cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. - Philadelphia 2007: Prospects and Challenges: A study evaluating Philadelphia's strengths and weaknesses compared to other American cities. - Comparative Analysis of Philadelphia Conditions and Trends: Companion report to Philadelphia 2007: Prospects and Challenges
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