Posts Tagged ‘Non-partisan education’

Jack Miller

More than 50 representatives from several Chicago area colleges, universities, public and private schools, and foundations participated in a civic education roundtable on May 13 in Chicago.  The conference was hosted by The Jack Miller Center and the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago.

Marjorie Rendell, the first lady of Pennsylvania and a judge on the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, was the featured speaker. Judge Rendell is one of the nation’s

Judge Rendell

leading advocates for civic education. She was introduced by her good friend, Diane Wood, a judge on the United States Circuit Court, Seventh District.  Judge Rendell’s remarks were focused on the question, “Does Civic Education Matter?” and were followed by panel discussions addressing the need to strengthen civic education at the middle school and high school levels, as well as at the college level.

“The need to improve education in America’s founding principles and history is gaining momentum as numerous studies in recent years have documented that students are graduating high school and even college with little knowledge about America’s heritage,” said Mike Ratliff, president of the Jack Miller Center. “This is a serious issue, one that should concern all of us who value the importance of education in preparing students to be good citizens, involved in the democratic process from the local level to the national level.”