1. What is meant by Checks and Balances
2. How many levels of government does the US Federal System of Government have according to the Constitution?
3. Who leads the Executive Branch and what is its primary function according to the Constitution?
4. Who does the Constitution say established the Constitution?
5. According to the Constitution itself what words does it use to tell the purpose OF the Constitution?
6. What does the Constitution say are the three things that are the Supreme Law of the Land.
I
have a request--really, a challenge--- to all the programers and gamers out there.
Recently, retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor shared on PBS that her
foundation was launching civic education games for schools-- for free. I, like she, am shocked at the lack of civic knowledge in our population. AND it is being cut out of schools more and more as districts frantically try to use all time to prepare for high stakes testing.
I am on a soap box shouting about the dangerous low in ADULT civic knowledge in this country but one way we have ignorant adults is to have LITTLE civics taught in the schools.
One of the school districts in our state has decided to have their entire elementary curriculum as math and reading next year. They hope that the math will include some science and hope the reading will include social studies. But these are NOT structured in the plan.
One third of all US students drop out before getting to the high school senior year course in US government. We are breeding the worst possible seeds for an ill informed democracy in this Petri dish of ignorance.
But I'm more apalled by the lack of civic knowledge in our adult AND VOTING population. People that demand to "return to the constitution" but don't know what is in the constitution seemingly.
I would like to challenge game makers to create games that teach ADULTS some of the basics of our governmental system, our democracy, our constitutional government. (and please, teach them to understand that gov. safety and health regulation is NOT socialism) AND make the games clever and interesting enough that it holds attention and makes adults want to play them.
I teach at a community college and our classes would be more than happy to test out your games.
League of Women Voters of Kansas www.lwvk.org
lwv.kansas@gmail.com
