,,iii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #dbg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april    
#bi1 #bjad ,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself and
 ,mr4 ,grassley7 submitted the following
 resolution2 which was considered and   
agreed to  ,,resolution  ,expressing the
 sense of the ,senate about the         
importance of effective civic education 
programs in schools in the ,united      
,states4  ,whereas civic education is   
essential to the preservation and       
improvement of the constitutional       
government of the ,united ,states2      
,whereas civic education programs foster
 understanding of the history and       
principles of the constitutional        
government of the ,united ,states1      
including principles that are embodied  
in certain fundamental documents and    
speeches1 such as the ,declaration of   
,independence1 the ,constitution of the 
,united ,states1 the ,bill of ,rights1  
the ,federalist ,papers1 the ,gettysburg
 ,address1 and ,dr4 ,martin ,luther     

,king1 ,jr4's 8,i ,have a ,dream0       
speech2 ,whereas research shows that too
 few people in the ,united ,states      
understand basic principles of the      
constitutional government of the ,united
 ,states1 such as the natural rights set
 forth in the ,declaration of           
,independence1 the existence and        
functions of the #c branches of the     
,federal ,government1 checks and        
balances1 and other concepts fundamental
 to informed citizenship2 ,whereas since
 the founding of the ,united ,states1   
schools in the ,united ,states have had 
a strong civic mission to prepare       
students to be informed1 rational1      
humane1 and involved citizens who are   
committed to the values and principles  
of the constitutional government of the 
,united ,states2 ,whereas a free society
 relies on the knowledge1 skills1 and   
virtue of the citizens of such society1 
particularly the individuals elected to 
public office to represent such         
citizens2 ,whereas while many           

institutions help to develop the        
knowledge and skills and shape the civic
 character of people in the ,united     
,states1 schools in the ,united ,states1
 including elementary schools1 bear a   
special and historic responsibility for 
the development of civic competence and 
civic responsibility of students2       
,whereas student learning is enhanced by
 well-designed classroom civic education
 programs that--  7#a7 incorporate      
instruction in government1 history1 law1
 and democracy2  7#b7 promote discussion
 of current events and controversial    
issues2  7#c7 link community service and
 the formal curriculum2 and  7#d7       
encourage students to participate in    
simulations of democratic processes2 and
  ,whereas research shows that the      
knowledge and expertise of teachers are 
among the most important factors in     
increasing student achievement3 ,now1   
therefore1 be it  ,that it is the sense 
of the ,senate that--  7#a7 civic       
education is essential to the well-being

 of the constitutional government of the
 ,united ,states2  7#b7 comprehensive   
and formal instruction in civics and    
government provides students with a     
basis for understanding the rights and  
responsibilities of citizens in the     
constitutional government of the ,united
 ,states2  7#c7 elementary and secondary
 schools in the ,united ,states are     
encouraged to offer courses on history  
and theories of the constitutional      
government of the ,united ,states1 using
 programs and curricula with a          
demonstrated effectiveness in fostering 
civic competence1 civic responsibility1 
and a reasoned commitment to the        
fundamental values and principles       
underlying the constitutional government
 of the ,united ,states2 and  7#d7 all  
teachers of civics and government are   
well served by having access to adequate
 opportunities to enrich teaching       
through professional development        
programs that enhance the capacity of   
such teachers to provide effective civic

 education in the classroom4