Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
(http://www.ascd.org)

In "No Citizen Left Behind," ASCD Executive Director Gene Carter argues that we must impart the skills and understandings necessary for young people to participate actively in a democratic society. Below is an excerpt of the article. The entire article can be accessed at http://www.ascd.org/educationnews/kids/kids112002.html

"Education policies such as No Child Left Behind demonstrate Americans' conviction that all children are entitled to a quality education. It is not enough, however, to give students the academic knowledge to be successful workers. We also need to impart the skills and understandings necessary for young people to participate actively in a democratic society. The broader notions of citizenship and service are too often lost in the quagmire of nationally mandated testing, sanctions, and incentives focused on core academic subjects, such as math and reading.

ASCD is called to action by a variety of factors, not the least of which are indications that young people in America are less engaged in civic life than earlier generations. A recent report from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, found that 57 percent of 15- to 25-year-olds are completely disengaged from civic life.

We need to address this disengagement by renewing our commitment to the fundamental mission of schooling in a democracy. Students must be well versed in both the content and realization of citizenship. We will only accomplish this by teaching them about history and civics while providing opportunities for students to practice the skills and virtues necessary for active and effective participation in our society.

At ASCD, we believe that service learning connects community service with academic study, teaching civic responsibility, enriching learning, and strengthening communities. We believe in giving students substantial opportunities to practice democracy; we are supporting this through our First Amendment Schools project, a joint initiative of ASCD and the First Amendment Center. First Amendment Schools are committed to upholding the democratic and public mission of schooling in America and to providing students with an apprenticeship in freedom and responsibility.

In order to achieve this, we must not only teach our students about history, civics, and service, but also build and nurture a school culture that gives students numerous opportunities to live out what it means to be a democratic citizen."

Gene R. Carter, Chief Executive Director
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1703 N. Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311