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Of course, in citizenship
education we could spend time on all the technical issues involved
in the relationship between citizens and the state. However, when we
say “citizenship education” we usually mean more than that. We imply
that a good citizen is someone who treats people (irrespective of
gender, race, religion and disability) with respect, does what she
promises, is honest in all dealings, obeys the laws of the land and in
general, refrains from hurting others physically and mentally.
It is well known that success in
trying to change behaviour depends to a large degree (we’re not sure how
much) on the example set by those who are more experienced or in
authority. It stands to reason that if we want youngsters to be good
citizens we have to show them examples of it and convince them that we
are serious about it – it is not just all talk.
Parents, educators, youth workers,
company managers, ministers of religion and prison officers, for example could be
involved in citizenship education and their behaviours scrutinised
(consciously or subconsciously) by those they are trying to influence.
However, perhaps the most visible leaders of all are politicians - those
who are responsible for guiding the policy of a nation and who
repeatedly make calls for good citizenship.
Politicians – examples of “bad citizenship”
Unfortunately, in many western
countries there is a distrust and dislike for politicians. Perhaps many
people feel this way because when you examine their conduct, politicians
are poor citizenship educators.
Let’s take behaviour in the United
Kingdom Parliament. Politicians, shout mocking abuse at one another in
order to drown out what the other is saying and to belittle. Prime
Minister’s Question Time is not about questions at all, but some kind of
ritual to mock and embarrass and score points. Watch the television and
see the lesser bad behaviours of litter (order papers left lying on the
benches) and a few MPs sleeping. A citizenship education class with
children would quickly point out these bad examples of citizenship.
Here’s another example. Politicians
often do not answer the questions put to them – probably because they
know it will reveal their mistakes or because they don’t want to commit
themselves. They compound this bad behaviour by trying to fool people
into believing they are answering the question when they aren’t or by
telling half-truths.
Citizenship education encourages
people to be helpful and kind to others because in the long-run this is
good for everyone. However, politicians rarely praise the good work of
their opponents and often take their small mistakes and make them out to
be heinous crimes. Again the purpose is to denigrate, wound and damage
others.
The examples of bad citizenship
exhibited by many politicians run deep. Some politicians gloss over
conflicts of interest. Often they know the tough actions to be taken but
don’t take them because they know it will be unpopular and they’ll be
out of a job. So they tinker around the edges of major problems,
pretending to be doing something. They are there to represent their
constituents but in the end, support their party because again they’ll
be out of a job if they don’t.
And then there is the lesser
citizenship flaw of two-facedness. Asking others to “tighten their
belts” while increasing their own wages and perks, hiring family members
and paying them whether they do any work or not, demeaning private
schooling while sending their own children there and criticising “fat
cat” managers who are paid high salaries while they themselves are
already, or will become, highly paid company directors.
As we know, almost all citizens,
even young children, are not stupid and they know or sense bad
citizenship when they see it. It is understandable then that any formal
programme of citizenship education will be less effective if politicians
continue to behave badly. The example given on a daily basis by many
politicians gives the signal that citizenship education is a theoretical
exercise - something that sounds good but not applied in real life. For
a more detailed examination of citizenship education download and read
e-Report No. 2
Values
Education And Citizenship Education: Do We Need Both? ISBN 1
898896 09 7
Dr
Bill would be delighted to talk at your next conference or event and
give more details on how a citizenship education as values education can
help people behave even more responsibly. Contact him on
bill@valueseducation.co.uk
Copyright © 2008 Values Education Ltd
Note to editors. Feel free to use this article as long as the
following details are retained. “A values education article from CAVE
http://www.valueseducation.co.uk ”
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