American democracy faces historic and urgent challenges. With irreconcilable polarization and a profound loss of confidence in government, the question “What will save our democracy?” looms large. One answer focuses on how we prepare the next generation of citizens. According to Educating for American Democracy whose “Roadmap” framework on civics and history is championed by New York City’s Department of Education, at the federal level we spend approximately $50 per student per year on STEM education and approximately five cents per student per year on civics.
Join us for a conversation with an ideologically, demographically, and professionally diverse group of experts about the budding movement to prioritize civics and history education nationwide, the challenge of coming to consensus on how and what we teach, and why this movement is critical to reestablishing a healthy democracy. National Conference on Citizenship CEO Caleb Gayle leads the discussion with Paul Carrese, founding director of the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, Ohio State University Professor Hasan Kwame Jeffries, host of the podcast Teaching Hard History, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, the Newhouse Director of The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, and a leading representative from New York City’s DOE.
This program is offered in partnership with Queens Public Library & New York Public Library, and supported by the GoVoteNYC Fund in The New York Community Trust.