A VERY PUBLIC EDUCATION: Civics teachers ‘don’t know what they can and can’t say.’

Teaching civics makes teachers nervous, concludes the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute in a new policy brief.

Many teachers “are insufficiently trained in both what to teach and how to teach it,” says the institute. They fear controversy and try to avoid complexity. “Most state standards are vague, and district policies rarely provide the clarity needed to manage contentious topics.”

Furthermore, there’s no consensus on the purpose of civics classes. Is the goal to create informed citizens or activists?

That depends on who’s in charge.