Facing History's Approach to Civic Education

Civic education can’t be another add-on in a curriculum already crowded with mandates. By recognizing civic learning opportunities throughout the life of the school, Facing History’s work supports the most central goal of American public education: preparing students for life in a democracy.

At Facing History & Ourselves, we believe that a good citizen possesses: 

• tolerance, empathy, and respect for human dignity;

• the skills to seek truth and communicate across difference;

• a capacity for ethical reflection;

• a sense of the common good;

• a habit of engagement; and

• a belief that they can make a difference and that each person’s choices matter.