Cherie Blair Quotes

Essentially, social education is moral education, and moral education is preparation for citizenship... When Jefferson and others advocated public education, it was to prepare for citizenship in a new, constitutional, democratic society.

I really did try to write it so that an educated public that cares about issues like this doesn't have to be a lawyer and can read it and understand it.

You can't be a full participant in our democracy if you don't know our history.

That's an interesting question. I would say that in general Americans know very little about the law. It's one of those things that most of us take for granted.

Join America taught English, an understanding of the U.S. Constitution, that the Bill of Rights is the ultimate insurance policy for a citizen, and that being a citizen is not an entitlement. And we also taught a bit of capitalism.

Civic education and civic responsibility should be taught in elementary school.

A constitutional democracy is in serious trouble if its citizenry does not have a certain degree of education and civic virtue.

Pure representative government is not suitable to our character, customs, and present conditions...So long as our compatriots do not develop the talents and political virtues which distinguish our brothers of the north (The United States) the entire popular system, far from being suitable to our conditions, may, I fear, be our ruin.

I feel that a period of service to the nation would be good for all of us, though I hope it will not be a purely military period. I have a great appreciation for the need for discipline and basic training in military methods, but above all, I believe we must develop the realization of every individual's responsibility in a democracy for his government. To me any period of training should stress this very clearly and should include service to the community. I believe both boys and girls should receive such training.

The health of our republic depends on shared principles like the First Amendment, but it is also built on the Teddy Roosevelt-like vigor of its citizens and local self-reliance.

History must share with reading, writing and arithmetic first rank as the most important subjects in the curriculum. Understanding the issues on which citizens of a republic are expected to vote is impossible without an understanding of the past.

The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open.

Democracy is not just voting for your leaders; it's really premised upon ordinary citizens understanding the issues.

We started a movement... to build character, citizenship and confidence in young people.

We have a complex system of government. You have to teach it to every generation.

Balancing the common good with the freedom and liberty to exercise that individuality has been and remains a challenge for those committed to democracy while understanding that the polis ensures our participation and therefore our citizenship.

We stand in the shadow of Jefferson who believed that a society founded upon the rule of law and liberty was dependent upon public education and the diffusion of knowledge.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

No citizen is apolitical; as a citizen, by definition, has to take interest in public affairs.

Civics is not only how to run the country before it's your turn to run the country; it is, in fact, the study of power, practical political power. And you must start that process at an age level when kids' brains are still open and malleable.

Half the states have stopped making civics and government a requirement for high school. Half.

The social and industrial structure of America is founded upon an enlightened citizenship.

On the diffusion of education among the people rest the preservation and perpetuation of our free institutions.

The values and voices of democracy are silent. Either we have lost touch with those values or, no better, believe they need not or cannot be taught.

The first duty of an American citizen, then is that he shall work in politics.