I'd argue that civics is at least as important as reading, writing and math. I've known good people who couldn't read and write. I've known people who could read and write just fine but who were lousy excuses for human beings. I don't think that civic service will make everyone good and the lack of it certainly wouldn't make everyone bad.
None the less, I think that a well rounded education ought to include a notion that you a part of your neighborhood, your town, your state, your country and your world and that you owe a debt to those that came before you, you are peers with those around you and you create the world for those that will come after. That means learning about civics, learning about ecology, learning history...all the disciplines that explain how we are interconnected. And that also means a practicum...getting out and getting your hands dirty, seeing the good parts and bad parts of our world and getting a visceral understanding that you are a part of it all. A small part, perhaps, but important and that your actions, good and bad, have consequences beyond your immediate understanding. I wouldn't want to go overboard on mandatory public service. I don't want to see the Obama version of Hitler Youth (which I'm sure has been conjured up in some feverish minds). But I do feel as I've cogitated on it longer that we ought to expect more of our citizens. For the bulk of our citizenry, being American is a happy accident of their place of birth. They are given rights, privileges and opportunities that many around the world dream of. I'd like to think that we could ask a little more of those people than abiding by the general laws and paying most of their taxes. I think that being part of a great country is worth some time and energy giving back to it and helping make it greater still. Judah On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 9:01 PM, Scott Stroz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > How about we make sure our kids can read and write and do math befor we sign > them up for anything else. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:279573 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
