Giving Compass' Take:

• Supreme Court Justices, Sonia Sotomayor, and Neil Gorsuch, are advocating for civics education in schools and think that it should still be a mandatory part of the curriculum. 

• Why is it important to remind students of the crucial responsibility of voting? Additionally, how will a comprehensive civics education help strengthen democracy for the future? 

• Read about Sandra Day O'Connor's legacy in promoting civics education and her nonprofit iCivics. 

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch discussed with CBS News the importance of schools returning to an educational emphasis on civics education, a focus lost amid the rise of STEM education that is needed as America’s future increasingly lies in the hands of voters who no longer have a clear understanding of how the government functions.

Schools also need to educate students on another valuable aspect of civic education in civility, the ability to show good manners and to disagree with others while recognizing and respecting their rights and the value of their opinions.

Election days remind Americans that we have opportunities that are denied to many others around the world. However, the awesome rights of participatory government also mean that students must be prepared for the responsibilities of citizenship.

And as former justice Sandra Day O'Connor steps back from public life, Justices Sotomayor and Gorsuch are stepping up to fill her shoes on advocating for civics education.

As this article and justices note, civics education has taken a backseat to STEM education in recent years. Part of this comes from the growing focus on college and career readiness, a place where STEM learning plays a huge role. Because of this focus, many states don’t require tests of civics knowledge, though there are notable exceptions.

The desire to educate the voting public was the original reason for the establishment of public education. The need for civics education is becoming a growing concern for many school superintendents, especially as the county is becoming more divided and civility is becoming a lost art. Some school boards are also developing civility policies because they see this as having an impact on a student’s present conduct and future ability to function in society.

Read the full article about advocating for civics education by Amelia Harper at Education Dive.