Denouncing The Assault On Our Capitol

January 6, 2021 is a day that will live in infamy. The violence visited upon the U.S. Capitol—the very building that symbolizes our constitutional democracy—is further evidence of the fragility of our democracy. This was an insurrection by an angry mob, incited by the current President and other elected leaders determined to thwart the democratic process. They did not succeed and our institutions held.

The leadership of the CivXNow Coalition unites in condemning the insurrection and urges all citizens and leaders to do the same.

This moment is shameful, yet it provides an opportunity. Shameful that leaders—including losing candidates and enablers—instigated a rampage to stop a constitutionally mandated act of Congress. But an opportunity to strengthen our civic system going forward.

Young people are eager to become part of our 245-year experiment in self-government. But in order to do so, we need to ensure that the civic mission of schools remains at the heart of education. All students must be provided excellent in-depth civic education that equips them with the tools to address the challenges before our nation today from misinformation and polarization to racial injustice. That will require an honest accounting of all aspects of our history—the tremendous ideals espoused in our founding documents along with the ugly failures —so that all students can hear the voices of those who have not traditionally been featured in history books. Civic education is the path toward a constitutional democracy that reflects the very ideals we aspire to: equality and justice.

So, today, as the leadership of the Coalition, we rededicate ourselves to protecting our constitutional democracy by investing in its young people. We must emerge from these dark days with a hopeful determination to right our ship of state. That is what our constitutional democracy demands.

“Civic education is the only way for America to maintain its democracy in a legitimate way.”

— May-Ya Nguyen, 10th grader, New Jersey