Across the country, classrooms are becoming battlegrounds for America’s civic soul. What used to be traditional civics—learning about the Constitution, the Founders, and how government works—has been replaced by what the left calls “action civics.” This is not education. It’s liberal activism disguised as civics.
This “new civics” shift began under the Obama Administration in 2012, when the Department of Education released a report titled A Crucible Moment. Buried beneath patriotic language was a clear call to turn civic education into social justice training. Instead of teaching kids about our founding principles, it urged schools to train students to “act” on perceived inequalities—to embrace protest training, identity politics, and the full so-called “1619 Project” revisionist agenda.
By 2021, the National Association of Scholars was sounding the alarm, forming the “Civics Alliance” to push back against this hijacking. They call “action civics” a grave new risk—a recruitment tool for the progressive left that has already spread further than most Americans realize. Civics Alliance’s mission is simple: restore real civics education based on history, the Constitution, and American ideals. Students would again learn to respect free speech and individual liberty. In a free republic, those virtues are not optional; they are essential to preserving our God-given rights.
At the same time, the Trump Administration is leading a massive reform effort. The Department of Education recently announced a $153 million investment in civics instruction rooted in patriotism to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. They will partner with over 40 conservative organizations including Hillsdale College and Turning Point USA. Their goal is clear: every young American should understand the beauty of our nation and the principles that make it free.
But the fight isn’t over. The administration is also taking real steps to downsize—and ultimately abolish—the federal Department of Education altogether. Workforce programs are being transferred to the Department of Labor, and special education programs to Health and Human Services. Bureaucrats call it “disruption.” Conservatives call it restoration—returning education to parents, states, and communities where it belongs.
In the end, this is about more than curriculum. It’s about whether America will teach its children to love their country—or to despise it.
The battle for civics is the battle for the nation’s heart! Join the Eagles in this fight for the soul of America. Visit PhyllisSchlafly.com and sign up for our email alerts! Again that’s PhyllisSchlafly.com, and join us next time for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
