Teaching Freedom, Fairness, & Equality

In the U.S., our political framework requires citizens be involved, informed and engaged. A ‘government of the people’ cannot function if there are no avenues for civic involvement, no methods for community deliberation, or no opportunities to influence government decisions. Elections, petitions, and public deliberation are all a form of civic participation. It is the role of the people to exercise these rights to participate, and the responsibility of the government to respond and respect them.  Until the civil rights movement over 50 years ago, youth were traditionally left out of opportunities to engage civically, and one of the first places students get an opportunity to engage civically and think critically is in the classroom.

In "The Purpose of Education" (1947), Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." 

Martin Luther King Jr. activated the power of voice and helped people understand that you don’t have to be a gifted orator to be heard; rather, you have to possess passion and be equipped with knowledge that allows you to make critical, well-informed decisions that improve our society.  With social media and technology at times taking the place of marches and protests and augmenting others, the young activist of the new millennium has the power to bring the issues of their community to be heard and seen globally.

To this aim, we've created a new lesson for students to wrestle with the essential question: how deep is our commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?  They will learn about five historical examples of restrictive immigration law and policy and also about the value of young people’s voices in movements to secure rights.

We encourage you and your students to participate in our padlet: How are young people today civically engaged?  Add images, stories, and examples of young people changing the world.  Visit often for inspiration!

Padlet Example: Click here for live version