Young people today are experiencing civic apathy.
National research shows declining trust in government. A 2025 report from the Pew Research Center on civics learning and engagement shows “nearly a third of young people express lower support for core democratic principles.” They are “checked out” of a democracy they feel has not met their needs.
Today’s students live in a constant stream of information. Constant access to news has combined with growing political cynicism to create civic apathy. Young people don’t believe anything can be done about the issues confronting society. The challenges appear too big and the system too corrupt. In such a hopeless environment, many young people are asking, “Why bother?” The time is now to restore civics learning to the forefront of education.
As educators, we say with certainty that civic education will provide the answer.
Civic education is more than teaching the structure and function of government. It encompasses the skills of active citizenship and the values embedded in our founding documents. Civic education must be central in every classroom to prepare students to shoulder the rights and responsibilities of active citizenship. When students experience robust civics education, they are more likely to trust institutions and participate in their communities.
We believe strongly that students of all ages should have the opportunity to learn and practice engaged citizenship. Civic readiness should be built throughout a student’s entire K-12 education. If we wait until a high school U.S. government class to teach civics, we have missed critical opportunities and perpetuated misunderstandings about the nature of civic education.
Thankfully, policymakers and institutions are moving to amplify civic education.
Civics Learning Week (March 9-13), established by iCivics, focuses on making civic education a priority. Civics Learning Week reminds us of the important responsibility we have to cultivate civic hope in our youth.
In 2025, Utah approved HB381, making a full-year civics course with instruction on American constitutional government and citizenship a graduation requirement. High school students will benefit from having more time dedicated to their civic education.
The Salt Lake City School District has pioneered the Seal of Civic Readiness in Utah. The Seal recognizes students who demonstrate strong civic knowledge, skills and engagement through coursework, service learning and active participation in their communities. Students earning the seal show evidence of understanding democratic principles, engaging in civil discourse and contributing meaningfully to civic life.
This is a start.
Modern civics education must equip students with skills for life in the information age. Media literacy, civil dialogue and civic action projects are essential components of high-quality civic education. In the past, debates around community issues happened face-to-face in town halls. Now, those debates unfold in online spaces. Students must learn how to parse through the political polarization and sensationalism in online forums; to evaluate information responsibly, engage respectfully with those who have different views, and participate meaningfully in their communities. Civic instruction grounded in constitutional literacy, media literacy, civil dialogue and community engagement is central to developing an informed citizenry. At its core, civics is about community — how we live and work together.
Having civic hope means believing the actions of an individual can make a difference. The responsibility to cultivate civic hope in young people belongs to all of us — educators, parents and policymakers alike.
We propose that we begin by examining our own beliefs. If we want students to change the world, they have to believe their actions can make a difference. That means we, as adults, need to disengage from cynicism to grow civic hope within ourselves.
The internet isn’t going to teach our kids to be hopeful. Civic hope must be cultivated intentionally. By nurturing our students’ civic readiness, we bring purpose and cohesion to the patriotic act of public education. This investment in our students is a seed that will continue to grow and provide strength for our community, our democracy and future generations.
Suzanne Arthur and Dessie Olson are educators in the Salt Lake City School District working to advance civics education. All views are their own.