Informed and involved citizens are critical to the survival of any democratic society. Texas’ own Constitution gives “the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people” as the very reason for providing for public education in the state.
One of the objectives stated in the Texas Education Code is that “Educators will prepare students to be thoughtful, active citizens who have an appreciation for the basic values of our state and national heritage and who can understand and productively function in a free enterprise society.” To these ends, the state of Texas has written civic education into its curriculum standards, theTexas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).