Dreyfuss and His Civics Movement
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An article by William Fisher in today's truthout discussed the recent campaign by movie star, and Oxford University Senior Associate Member, Richard Dreyfuss to reintroduce the teaching of civics into our public schools. Dreyfuss brings to light startling figures about our current college students' lack of understanding of American governmental basics such as the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.
Dreyfuss recently held a conference at Martha's Vineyard with school administrators, local leaders, writers, and television producers in an attempt to raise awareness about our students' lack of understanding involving the study of civics and hopes to use one of elementary schools at Martha's Vineyard as a pilot program for a civics curriculum.
The first time I heard Dreyfuss voicing his concerns regarding civics within our youth came on Real Time with Bill Maher in November of 2006 and I have to say I was impressed by Dreyfuss' proposals to reintroduce civics into education. One of Dreyfuss' main points (and one that has really resonated with me) focused on how us Americans will ignore the more important issues at hand, and distract ourselves with arcane, insignificant events in order to be shielded from real issues.
At one point in this particular Real Time episode, Maher attempted to direct the course of his panel's conversation from Dreyfuss' civics argument to the (at this time still appearing in the news) OJ Simpson book ordeal. And by attempting to talk about something so insignificant as OJ Simpson's book, as Maher did, confirmed Dreyfuss' earlier argument; he told Maher that by talking about Simpson, he was wasting energy on a useless topic, rather than focusing on important issues. In the end, Maher succumbed, and the civics debate continued.
I'm glad to see Dreyfuss, a recognizable Hollywood actor, embrace something as important to our education's well-being as the study of civics. Hopefully his efforts will come to fruition soon rather than later.
Dreyfuss recently held a conference at Martha's Vineyard with school administrators, local leaders, writers, and television producers in an attempt to raise awareness about our students' lack of understanding involving the study of civics and hopes to use one of elementary schools at Martha's Vineyard as a pilot program for a civics curriculum.
The first time I heard Dreyfuss voicing his concerns regarding civics within our youth came on Real Time with Bill Maher in November of 2006 and I have to say I was impressed by Dreyfuss' proposals to reintroduce civics into education. One of Dreyfuss' main points (and one that has really resonated with me) focused on how us Americans will ignore the more important issues at hand, and distract ourselves with arcane, insignificant events in order to be shielded from real issues.
At one point in this particular Real Time episode, Maher attempted to direct the course of his panel's conversation from Dreyfuss' civics argument to the (at this time still appearing in the news) OJ Simpson book ordeal. And by attempting to talk about something so insignificant as OJ Simpson's book, as Maher did, confirmed Dreyfuss' earlier argument; he told Maher that by talking about Simpson, he was wasting energy on a useless topic, rather than focusing on important issues. In the end, Maher succumbed, and the civics debate continued.
I'm glad to see Dreyfuss, a recognizable Hollywood actor, embrace something as important to our education's well-being as the study of civics. Hopefully his efforts will come to fruition soon rather than later.
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