Unfortunately, we the people in America are not educated enough to sustain and flourish in a democracy. Most people, excluding the elite class that is getting more affluent and powerful, are civically illiterate and are unable to participate and actively change things in our government. There are however, many things that are not only being done, but things that can be done to stop this epidemic of widespread civic illiteracy. Many of these solutions should start where we are supposedly getting an education for life, public education.
The citizens of America are not sufficiently educated to exercise effective democracy. The people know they have to be more aware of the government and civic education, however, are bogged down by the education system. People are not voting in elections, and are displaying mindlessness. Teachers are paid dismal salaries, so they have no incentive but for the sake of America's future to stand out and teach students to be civically literate. Schools are vastly under funded, and ethnocentrism continues to contribute to narrow views of the world. We are separated as a society and we need to unite if we are to reform the government and protest that which is corrupt and wrong. The vast differences in income distribution also contribute and are a direct result of civic illiteracy. The reason civic literacy is failing is because the elite class would be hurt with an informed public. Television and cable news are also large factors preventing civic literacy to flourish. Patriotism, only in its selfish form, also contributes to civic illiteracy in believing that the government is always doing what is right for the people.
Fortunately, despite all of these major obstacles, civic literacy can become a force to be reckoned with more awareness and public participation. Already the Kentucky government has realized problems with the education system. Many are taking notice of the civic literacy catastrophe in America, and to help solve the growing problem, we must start by vastly reforming the education system. We must reform it in such a way that students become thinkers, not followers, and fight to make our democracy, a true and effective one.