Virtual Lobbying to Support the Civics Project Trust Fund
Between the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic slowdown that has resulted, and what seems to be a moment of reckoning around the structural racism long embedded in the fabric of the U.S., our communities are facing challenges unlike any in recent years.
In the moments throughout our country’s history where systemic change is required, young people have always been at the vanguard – organizing, protesting, demanding policies and practices that can move our country toward a more just and equitable future. For young people to succeed, they need the tools and the education to navigate our country’s systems. That is why civic education is more important today than ever before.
During this severe economic crisis, legislators are facing profoundly difficult budgetary decisions, but our future as a democratic society depends now more than ever on effective civic learning. The Mass Civic Learning Coalition is seeking continuation of the $1.5 million in state support.
In 2018, the MCLC, a partnership of more than forty youth-serving organizations across the Commonwealth, partnered with the legislature to pass nation-leading, innovative civic education legislation. In 2019, the MCLC supported that legislation by successfully advocating for $1.5 million in funding through the Civics Project Fund (1595-0115) to provide the resources needed for districts, schools, and teachers to provide high-quality, action-oriented civic education.
Today, our coalition is striving to ensure these efforts are at least level-funded next year, and that young people are equipped for the trials of the current moment and the future, including the need to:
Understand the role of effective government in protecting the common good, something that has become painfully evident in this era of COVID-19 and the Movement for Black Lives;
Demonstrate a full understanding of how our governing institutions operate and the key role of each individual in perpetuating a vibrant and healthy democracy;
Exercise critical thinking in order to ensure that our elected officials make sound decisions for the full populace that don’t sacrifice thoughtful long-term planning for short-term expediency;
Appreciate the role of an independent media and navigate the complexities of determining the source, accuracy, and underlying intent of information; and
Guard against those who would constrain the fundamental right to vote.
To rally support for the Civics Project Trust Fund and to amplify the voices of young people across the state, the MCLC is hosting virtual lobby days from Monday, June 22 to Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
The time is now for legislators to ensure that funding for civics education is made available to students across the state. At present, while many high-needs communities have received some funding, communities in Cape Cod received none, and there are still other gaps to be filled. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which administers the funding, received 106 proposals totaling $2,472,187 in requested funds. Of the total $1.5M allocation, DESE reserved $750,000 for grants but, due to the significant demand, ultimately funded 28 proposals for a total of $845,290. Roughly $2M in quality proposals could have been funded if more resources were available.
Advocates, organizers, and students will be making their case to legislators on MCLC’s Virtual Lobbying Day, embodying the principles of civic action they wish to make accessible to all. If you would like more information on the Virtual Lobby Days, please contact info@macivicsforall.org.