Two-thirds of Americans can name at least one of the judges on “American Idol.” But fewer than one in 10 can name the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The source of that depressing but pertinent observation was Sandra Day O’Connor, the former Supreme Court justice who believes such ignorance about American government is a threat to our democracy.
So, at 78, the distinguished jurist is turning to current digital technology to do something about it.
O’Connor, who retired in 2006, is working with Georgetown University Law Center and Arizona State University to develop a Web site and an interactive civics curriculum for students in grades seven to nine.
As reported by The New York Times, O’Connor outlined the project recently at a digital gaming conference in New York City – an unlikely venue, she acknowledged, for a former Supreme Court justice to be promoting civics education.
But O’Connor is on to something. People who do not understand how the U.S. Constitution is supposed to work are not well prepared to protect it. The independence of the judiciary, for instance, is at risk if Americans don’t understand why an independent federal judiciary is necessary.
That requires public education, O’Connor rightly contends, noting that traditional high school civics courses are falling by the wayside, partly due to the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Schools, under pressure to raise student achievement, are finding less room in the school day for such courses. At least half the states, including Washington, no longer make civics a graduation requirement.
“Knowledge about our government is not handed down through the gene pool,” O’Connor said. “Every generation has to work at it, and we have some work to do.”
O’Connor and her educational partners hope that the new Web site and the Web-based interactive lessons they will develop will help spark the interest of today’s highly digitized students.
The site, www.ourcourts.org, is to be operational in the fall.
O’Connor served the nation with distinction during her quarter-century on the Supreme Court. Her latest cause demonstrates that her commitment to public service has not diminished.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.