VA
Virginia Department of Education
State & Local Civic Education Module

Civics Education
Civic Participation and Engagement in Virginia


The Importance of Civic Education

In his Notes on the State of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson (1784) stressed the importance of an educated citizenry to monitor the frailties of political leaders and protect the foundations of democratic life. He noted:
…In every government on earth is some trace of human weakness, some germ of corruption and degeneracy, which cunning will discover, and wickedness insensibly open, cultivate, and improve. Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves therefore are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe their minds must be improved to a certain degree.…(Queries 14 and 19, 146--49, 164--65, http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch18s16.html)

Today, across the Commonwealth there have been many examples/models of civic engagement in action. For example, in 2011 the Government Reform and Restructuring Commission released a series of recommendations designed to improve the efficiency, access, accountability, and performance of state government. Additionally, the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall highlights efforts by the Commonwealth to improve public access to information regarding proposed changes to Virginia regulations and laws, while also providing online forums for public comment and discussion. Across Virginia, local governments are busy offering opportunities to reveal the workings of local government and share ideas and possibilities for civic engagement.

Did You Know? There are many resources designed to provide citizens of the Commonwealth with up-to-date information regarding the running of state and local government. For example, the Commonwealth Data Point Web site provides easily accessible financial and demographic information regarding the operations of state and local government. The Virginia General Assembly Web site provides a Citizen’s Guide that allows citizens to identify their legislators and provides suggestions and models for how best to contact them to discuss matters of importance. In addition, the Legislative Information System provides citizens with a portal to track legislation and the everyday workings of the General Assembly.


As Professor Brians noted in his video, teachers are vital for the education of future citizens. It is not enough simply to create and maintain spaces for civic engagement and political participation. First, it is necessary to provide young people with the knowledge, skills, motivation, and dispositions to understand the structure, workings and utility of state and local government. Second, teachers must help students recognize their necessary roles in state and local government.
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