Oregon high school students will be required to take at least one semester of civics following the passage of a bipartisan bill in the state legislature. The Oregon House voted unanimously in favor of the bill this week, following a vote in the Oregon Senate that passed with only three nay votes.
“At a time where many Americans cannot name the three branches of government and studies are showing declining faith (in) democratic values, Oregon should no longer be one of the few states left without civics standards,” said Sen. Fred Girod (R-Stayton), chief sponsor of the bill. “Instead of pushing agendas in the classroom, our kids need to be taught the fundamentals. Disagreement is an inherent part of democracy, but this bill will teach our kids how to participate in our institutions and use their rights and responsibilities as actively engaged citizens to shape the world around them.”
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 2, 2021.
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