Bait and Switch. Civics Education to Character Education

American schools promote a concept known as “character education.” Starting in the 1980s, public schools adopted programs such as Character Counts! and the Heartwood Program, which emphasize hard work, responsibility, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Funding for character education tripled in the 1990s and early 2000s, allowing it to replace civics education to a large degree. Rather than learning how to become engaged, informed citizens, students are taught that “grit” is the key to advancement. The gap between the rich and powerful and the poor and disenfranchised is growing. The rich have political influence, but without civics education, the poor lack the skills to advocate for themselves. Schools teach students that good character rests on compliance. Social justice, however, demands disobedience, writes Love.

Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin was on the phone with a friend when he first noticed George Zimmerman. He was so uncomfortable that he referred to his killer as a “creepy White cracker” (72). Trayvon’s words suggest that he knew he was being racially profiled and that the encounter was about race. Zimmerman called 911 to report a suspicious Black man with his hand in his waistband. Zimmerman pursued Trayvon, against the 911 operator’s instructions.