--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Half the states have stopped making…" description: "\"Half the states have stopped making civics and government a requirement for high school. Half.\" — Sandra Day O'Connor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_civics_half-the-states-have-stopped-making-civi_1498973.png" --- # Half the states have stopped making civics and government… ![“Half the states have stopped making civics and government a requirement for high school. Half.” quote by Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_civics_half-the-states-have-stopped-making-civi_1498973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_civics_half-the-states-have-stopped-making-civi_1498973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_civics_half-the-states-have-stopped-making-civi_1498973.png) > “Half the states have stopped making civics and government a requirement for high school. Half.” [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education is increasingly optional, reducing civic knowledge among youth. **In simple terms:** Civic education is being cut. Key Takeaway Advocate for mandatory civics. Themes education citizenship policy civic engagement government Mood concerned optimistic Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - high school curricula - parental involvement - community workshops - legislative advocacy Key Concepts civic literacy democratic participation curriculum design Questions to Reflect On - How does civic knowledge affect democracy? - What alternatives can schools adopt? A Different Perspective Implementation may face political resistance and funding limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civics/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Waking up in the morning and realising you have to be at school in half an hour for moderation day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan/waking-up-in-the-morning-and-realising-you-have-to-be-at-school-in/) [Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan/) > [Once in a while our school has half days, and the teachers spend the afternoon 'in service,' which I think must be a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/once-in-a-while-our-school-has-half-days-and-the-teachers-spend-the/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [I wasn't picked for any of the sports teams at school because I was half the size of everyone else, but now everyone assumes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/i-wasn-t-picked-for-any-of-the-sports-teams-at-school-because-i-was/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [“Of course it would be hard. But I remembered what my nurseryman grandfather used to say when I didn’t want to go to school:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-romig/of-course-it-would-be-hard-but-i-remembered-what-my-nurseryman/) Rollo Romig > [I'm visiting my high school. Every half year I do the exams, and then this year I'm going to graduate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-hantuchova/i-m-visiting-my-high-school-every-half-year-i-do-the-exams-and-then/) [Daniela Hantuchova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-hantuchova/) > [“Yeah, I went to school three hundred and a half years ago y’know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nandanie-phalgoo/yeah-i-went-to-school-three-hundred-and-a-half-years-ago-y-know/) [Nandanie Phalgoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nandanie-phalgoo/) > [I think we may be seeing the beginnings of a resurgence of civic-mindedness in this country. Hopefully the younger generations, which came out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-think-we-may-be-seeing-the-beginnings-of-a-resurgence-of-civic/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [If parents instill a sense of civic-mindedness - and there is no better way to do that than by example - their children will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/if-parents-instill-a-sense-of-civic-mindedness-and-there-is-no-better/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I had become increasingly concerned in recent years about the lack of civics education in our nation's schools. In recent years, the schools have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-had-become-increasingly-concerned-in-recent-years-about-the-lack-of/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Nobody wants to buy a $60,000 electric Civic. But people will pay $90,000 for an electric sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/nobody-wants-to-buy-a-60-000-electric-civic-but-people-will-pay-90/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. It's not an easy balance to maintain, to be asked to work away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/naive-optimism-and-pervasive-pessimism-are-both-to-be-avoided/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Civics isn't something where you learned - learn it for a couple weeks in high school; it is who we are. Americans defined themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/civics-isn-t-something-where-you-learned-learn-it-for-a-couple-weeks/) [Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/) > [Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/life-in-this-society-being-at-best-an-utter-bore-and-no-aspect-of/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) ## More by Sandra Day O'Connor > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-think-i-learned-to-appreciate-and-treasure-each-day-because-you-don/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I loved my husband very much, and it was heartbreaking to have him develop Alzheimer's disease, and to stand by and watch him decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-loved-my-husband-very-much-and-it-was-heartbreaking-to-have-him/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/my-concerns-through-the-years-increased-about-the-concerns-of-an/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-courts-of-this-country-should-not-be-the-places-where-resolution/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [Young women today often have very little appreciation for the real battles that took place to get women where they are today in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/young-women-today-often-have-very-little-appreciation-for-the-real/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [You have to answer the question, like it or not. And the questions deserve a valid legal response, even if the response isn't one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/you-have-to-answer-the-question-like-it-or-not-and-the-questions/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [A fundamental premise of American democratic theory is that government exists to serve the people. ... Public records are one portal through which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/a-fundamental-premise-of-american-democratic-theory-is-that/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [This chance will stand before you only once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/this-chance-will-stand-before-you-only-once/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I care very much about women and their progress. I didn't go march in the streets, but when I was in the Arizona Legislature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-care-very-much-about-women-and-their-progress-i-didn-t-go-march-in/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [There was no hostility at the court when I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/there-was-no-hostility-at-the-court-when-i-arrived/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [And I went off to Stanford, I was pretty young and pretty naive. And I had a professor I really loved, who was himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/and-i-went-off-to-stanford-i-was-pretty-young-and-pretty-naive-and-i/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-really-expert-riders-of-horses-let-the-horse-know-immediately-who/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/it-is-true-that-as-you-have-children-there-are-a-good-many-months/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The abortion cases produced an enormous amount of mail to my chambers, vastly more than to the other chambers, I am sure. I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-abortion-cases-produced-an-enormous-amount-of-mail-to-my-chambers/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) [Explore all 124 Sandra Day O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## More Civics quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Nobody wants to buy a $60,000 electric Civic. But people will pay $90,000 for an electric sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/nobody-wants-to-buy-a-60-000-electric-civic-but-people-will-pay-90/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Civics isn't something where you learned - learn it for a couple weeks in high school; it is who we are. Americans defined themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/civics-isn-t-something-where-you-learned-learn-it-for-a-couple-weeks/) [Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/) > [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. It's not an easy balance to maintain, to be asked to work away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/naive-optimism-and-pervasive-pessimism-are-both-to-be-avoided/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/life-in-this-society-being-at-best-an-utter-bore-and-no-aspect-of/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [What must be addressed in the most immediate sense is the threat that the emerging police state in the United States poses not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/what-must-be-addressed-in-the-most-immediate-sense-is-the-threat-that/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I believe that a newspaper is a great civic asset and that ownership is best in the hands of foundations or wealthy families that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/i-believe-that-a-newspaper-is-a-great-civic-asset-and-that-ownership/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [The writer’s job is to write with rigor, with commitment, to defend what they believe with all the talent they have. I think that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/the-writer-s-job-is-to-write-with-rigor-with-commitment-to-defend/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [Greek philosophers considered sport a religious and civic-in a word, moral-undertaking. Sport, they said, is morally serious because mankind's noblest aim is the loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/greek-philosophers-considered-sport-a-religious-and-civic-in-a-word/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [... in America ... children are instructed in the virtues of the system they live under, as though history had achieved a happy ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-america-children-are-instructed-in-the-virtues-of-the-system-they/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [In her religious role, the Queen is head of the Church of England, but in her civic role she cares for all her subjects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/in-her-religious-role-the-queen-is-head-of-the-church-of-england-but/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [To Jane Jacob’s three traditional urban values of civic space, human scale and diversity, the current environmental imperative adds two more: conservation and regionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-calthorpe/to-jane-jacob-s-three-traditional-urban-values-of-civic-space-human/) Peter Calthorpe > [There's a civic nationalism in Britain and dozens of other countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/there-s-a-civic-nationalism-in-britain-and-dozens-of-other-countries/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) [Browse all 271 Civics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Half the states have stopped making civics and government a requirement for high school. 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