Civics Lessons Will Start In Middle School Under New NJ Law

TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey students will start learning civics in middle school under a law Gov. Phil Murphy signed Friday.

Civics — the studies of the rights and obligations of citizens in society, such as voting, serving on juries and being active in their communities — will become part of the social studies curriculum in middle school and will be emphasized in high school, under the new law.

It is named "Laura Wooten’s Law" in honor of the longest continuously serving poll worker in American history. Laura Wooten worked polls in New Jersey for 79 years before passing away in 2019.

"My mother would be so honored to know that a bill would be passed recognizing her legacy of civic responsibility," said Yvonne Hill, Wooten's daughter, during a signing ceremony in Middletown. "She always felt that the youth should be involved in exercising the hard-fought right to vote and help make change. Her famous words were 'Don’t say you can’t make a difference. How can you make a difference if you don’t vote?' "

"It is critical that we teach young people to understand their role in their communities and our democracy so that they have the tools they need to be well-informed, active citizens," said Assemblywomen Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Linda Carter, and Mila Jasey, who co-sponsored the law.

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"The social studies curriculum in our schools currently focuses on a chronological history of the United States. In a country built on the engagement of ordinary citizens, civics must play a central role in our students’ education," the three said in a joint statement. "Requiring civics lessons in our schools will inspire the next generation to appreciate and participate in our democracy."

Voter turnout for elections has been declining for years in New Jersey.

While the 2020 presidential election prompted some of the highest voter turnout in decades, with 72 percent of the state's 6.4 million registered voters casting ballots, the turnout in the five years prior was erratic. In 2015, just 22 percent of the state's 5.4 million registered voters went to the polls, and in 2019 was 27 percent, with 1,623,837 of 6,066,079 casting ballots.

In 2018, it was 55 percent, but just 39 percent of the 5.7 million registered voters went to the polls in 2017 when Murphy was elected governor.

New Jersey is one of a minority of states that has not require civics instruction for middle school students. Under the legislation, the New Jersey Center for Civic Education at Rutgers University will be directed to prepare civics curriculum guidelines for local school boards, ensuring that middle and high school students study the values and principles underlying the American system of constitutional democracy, the function of government, and the role of a citizen in a democratic society.

The New Jersey Center for Civic Education at Rutgers University also will provide professional development and other resources for high school social studies teachers as they fulfill the requirement of integrating civics into the existing United States history course.

The civics course will be required to be implemented in the 2022-2023 school year.

"A well-rounded education in civics is essential for creating knowledgeable, engaged citizens who understand the sacrifices and hardships made on behalf of our democracy," Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said, adding the law "will help provide students with the skills and background necessary for them to actively participate in democratic society. Every student in our public schools will have the opportunity to learn about how our government functions, the rights of citizens, and the values our nation was built on.”

"By deepening civics instruction in middle school and high school, we are giving students the tools they need to be more engaged and informed citizens," Murphy said. "An understanding of civics strengthens our democracy by ensuring an understanding of the role that everyone plays in the future of their community, our state, and our nation."

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