Minnesota’s young people can cure our civic health crisis

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

Despite our intense polarization, most Minnesotans today, regardless of political leaning, can likely agree on one thing: The current state of our civic health is not very good.

This recognition has brought together lawmakers from both parties to focus on a solution that begins with our young people. We may represent different districts and political traditions, but we share a profound concern — young Minnesotans aren’t learning the skills they need to sustain our democracy.

The symptoms of our declining civic health are easy to see. Community group membership is falling. Volunteerism is declining. Distrust in civic engagement is rising. And because of our differences and disagreements, we cannot seem to have respectful civil discourse about issues that affect our lives. For many, those symptoms have turned personal. They’re experiencing damaged relationships based on who is holding elected office, avoiding situations or groups where differences of opinion might be raised and feeling hopeless about how they can have any influence over what the future holds.

It’s clear that we cannot let the state of our civic health continue to decline, especially for the sake of the young people who will inherit this democracy.

Across the country, civic education has been collectively neglected. We have not spent enough class time teaching our young people how to maintain and become involved in our democracy. Research consistently demonstrates that social studies receives the least amount of instructional time in the elementary grades. And each year, the federal government spends roughly $50 per student on STEM education but only 5 cents per student on civic education.

As parents and community members, we work hard to give our children the knowledge and skills to be happy, healthy and successful from a young age. We teach them to brush their teeth, eat balanced meals, exercise and get enough sleep. We teach them to read, study and make friends. We teach them to drive and set an alarm so they get to school or work on time.

We need to bring that same intentionality to teaching them how to engage as members of our self-governing democracy. We must provide high-quality, nonpartisan educational resources to empower young people with the knowledge, skills and motivation to strengthen the civic health of their communities, in our state and beyond. It is up to Minnesotans to take the necessary steps toward healing our civic health — starting with the next generation of leaders.

That is why Minnesota is working to establish a civic seal to recognize high school students who demonstrate excellence in civics education and participation. This designation encourages civic learning, promotes active participation in democratic institutions and recognizes students who have achieved a high level of civic knowledge, skills and community involvement. When young people see their civic engagement valued through a seal, they believe their participation matters, which helps build lifelong habits of empowerment and engagement.

To build a stronger Minnesota, we must invest in civic health. This includes:

Teaching civics is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It should be a Minnesota priority. The skills we develop through civic education, like critical thinking, respectful dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, transcend party lines. Polling consistently shows that, as divided as we seem, most Americans agree civic education should be a priority for our children.

By ensuring students have a functioning knowledge of civics and democracy as they transition into more advanced roles in society, we’re investing in Minnesota’s future. Forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty begins with us — We the People — and continues through our children.

The young people of today will be the citizens who build and sustain our state tomorrow. In their hands rests something precious and fragile; the torch of civic responsibility that has been passed down from generation to generation since our country’s founding. Will we let that flame flicker and fade, or will we fuel it with the knowledge, skills and inspiration they need?

Each time a Minnesota student learns to listen before speaking, to question boldly but respectfully and build bridges instead of walls, our democracy grows stronger. Perhaps it will be them who ultimately teach us all how to heal a divided nation — and that is something worth reaching across the aisle for.

Steve Cwodzinski, DFL-Eden Prairie, is a member of the Minnesota Senate. Patricia Mueller, R-Austin, is a member of the Minnesota House.