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No civics textbook could prepare students for the realities of power that kept the nation’s war machine on a rampage, taking several million lives in Southeast Asia or supplying weapons making possible genocide in Gaza.

Over the last two decades, our infatuation with test scores and standardized curricula has squeezed out civics and the democratic function of schools.

One of the biggest barriers to citizenship is the oral civics exam with 100 possible questions.

Continuing with our civics lessons — because these concepts and values are foundational for understanding the type of political crisis we are experiencing right now as a country — what is democracy?

Two weeks ago, the board, without opposition, declared the school system a sanctuary for immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, while also calling for more politically informed civics education.