Oregon lawmakers add civics education to high school curriculum

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon House voted Monday to make education in civics a requirement for high school students. Senate Bill 513 A updates Oregon’s high school graduation requirements to also include one half-credit of civics.

“SB 513 A is a bill that begins the process of holding our schools accountable for teaching the next generation of Oregonians how to operate the most complex, complicated, and often confounding structure of self-governance in human history,” said Rep. Paul Evans (D-Monmouth).

“This bill is not a panacea, but it is the foundation for a shared vocabulary. It will open the door to a larger more strategic investment in lifelong public service experiences and community-based opportunities for learning how to improve a neighborhood, a school, a community, and a nation.”

“In recent years, we have seen a growing mistrust of our democratic institutions, and an undermining of political norms,” said Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon (D-Woodburn). “Providing students with a civics education where our diverse population can see themselves in it and promoting a greater understanding of how our governing bodies work will help repair some of that damage.”

SB 513 A, which passed with unanimous support, now heads to the governor’s desk.