Citizenship Education

I do not remember receiving much education on citizenship from my K-12 experience. For the most part, I remember being taught basic definitions of what a good citizen is in social studies. Every year, we would go over the same definition and we would never really expand on it or go beyond the basic things a person can do to be a good citizen. It was also never discussed in any other subject, only social studies. The types of citizenship we explored in class were mostly the participatory citizen and the personally responsible student. The personally responsible citizen was the one we discussed the most though. We would discuss how obeying laws, working and paying taxes, and being involved in the community by organizing or participating in community efforts were ways to be a good citizen. However, we never really discussed the justice-oriented citizen. We were never taught to look at why injustices happen and how to effect systemic change.

This approach of focusing on the personally responsible citizen has made certain things impossible in regards to citizenship. One of the things it has made impossible is leadership. Or, at least, the desire to lead since the personally responsible citizen focuses on participating in things that are already happening and focusing on making sure that I, as an individual, am being a law-abiding citizen and have good character. This approach also makes it impossible to create lasting change in systems because I am only worried about what I am doing and I am not actually looking at the root cause of problems in society. However, this approach does makes things possible. It makes it possible for me to get involved in my community by volunteering in times of need. It also makes it possible for me to focus on my own personality and character.

The approach we take to citizenship education says a lot about the place, what is valued, and what citizens the curriculum makers wish to create. It says a lot about the place, such as the political stance of the majority of the community. Places that are more conservative will most likely focus on only teaching the personally responsible citizen and some things about the participatory citizen. It likely will not focus on the justice-oriented citizen. Whereas more liberal places will probably focus on justice-oriented citizenship. It also says a lot about what curriculum makers value and what citizens they want to produce. If the curriculum makers focus on the personally responsible citizenship being taught, it most likely means that they value good character and behaviour over changing corrupt systems. They will want to create citizens that focus on the things they can do as an individual. They want citizens that will obey the law and never question anything. They will not want to create citizens that will question the people in power and try to change corrupt systems.