 Civic engagement is declining. Could school
choice give it a boost?Civic engagement is declining in America. Here’s how we can get it back.  What role does education play in shaping democracy, and which schools foster greater civic engagement — public or private? This is an age-old debate. Public-school advocates argue that government-operated schools promote civic values such as political tolerance, participation, and community engagement because their open and inclusive nature inherently supports democratic values. On the other hand, supporters of private schools contend that private schools are community-driven institutions that empower parents and foster student agency — leading to confident, self-governing citizens. What if the debate itself is too narrowly focused? Denisha Allen, senior research fellow at the American Federation for Children and founder of Black Minds Matter, argues that the key factor isn’t whether a school is public or private, but whether parents can choose their child’s school. “Civic engagement requires, well, engagement,” she wrote for The 74. “When parents can choose their child’s school, they become more invested in their communities.” This culture of involvement trickles down to their children, who witness and experience the benefits of their parents’ community engagement. But what does this really look like? And how does educational freedom influence civic engagement? We spoke with two school founders from Allen’s Black Minds Matter network to learn more Why civic engagement is critical in a democracy By definition, a democracy is a self-governing society. Without the “self-governing” part — i.e., civic engagement — America would cease to be a democracy. While visiting the United States, French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville was amazed by how easily Americans formed “associations” — what we now call communities, organizations, or coalitions. Whenever a problem arose, Americans would unite to work toward a solution. Tocqueville, from a politically unstable France, found this revolutionary. He noted that no political power could manage the countless small tasks Americans handled through these associations. Civic engagement — the willingness to participate in society and care about outcomes — is essential for democracy. Tocqueville warned that without it, America would descend into barbarism. Now, 200 years later, civic engagement is indeed on the decline. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article and NORC poll, Americans’ value of community engagement has significantly waned over the past 25 years, with a notable drop since 2019. It’s a trend we need to reverse. Less involvement weakens communities, erodes trust in institutions, and makes problem-solving harder. It creates a vacuum that drives people to look for solutions from institutions outside their local communities — institutions that are too far removed to be truly responsive or democratic. Read the full Stand Together article
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