In order to achieve in today’s world, we know that it takes more than “the basics.” Students must know how to apply “the basics.” This is absolutely necessary for our young people to be successful in life. We also may take it for granted that our children will come to school prepared to be good citizens. Unfortunately, that is not always so. The high incidence of little time being spent at home on learning good citizenship has contributed to this, as has the lessening of standards by the media, among other things.

Given that, a good educational foundation has never been so important as it is today. American democracy cannot endure without an educated populace. In order to have good citizens, we must have good students. The early leaders of our country knew that. It was Thomas Jefferson who initally proposed a system of free public elementary schools believing them to be essential to the continuation of a democratic form of government. Jefferson wrote, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” In similar vein, James Madison once said, “Popular government without education is the prologue to a farce or a tragedy.”

It is important that we teach about our heroes. We can all be encouraged by the stories of great men and women who have gone before us. Children can gain so much by learning that most of those we admire have faced adversity—even made mistakes—and, yet, they have persevered. I have read extensively about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, among others. The stories about the honesty, courage, and integrity they demonstrated are an inspiration. These men, along with other founders of our freedom and our democratic society, are excellent role models for our students. Stories of these two presidents might very well be a good place to begin teaching good citizenship. With them, we can answer the question, “Who are we as a nation?”

If our students are taught the importance of a good education and good citizenship, there remains the hope of retaining a strong democracy. There are many ways to integrate the tenets of good citizenship into every academic area. Using this guide will help teachers encourage the principles upon which this great nation was founded. I urge you to use it often and well.

Dr. Suellen Reed
Superintendent of Public Instruction