Government in Action

In this episode of Cardinal Direction, host Jessica Dobrinsky sits down with Director of Education Partnerships and Strategy, Tiffany Hoben, to explore what happens when schools skip over the basic structure of American government. Using West Virginia’s civics standards as a case study and comparing them to states like Florida, Tiffany explains why students need clear, detailed expectations about concepts like rule of law, federalism, separation of powers, and the Bill of Rights long before they are asked to “take action.” They unpack the problems with ideas like “action civics,” calling the Constitution a “living document,” and mislabeling America as a “constitutional democracy,” and discuss how those choices can subtly shift how students think about where their rights come from. Tiffany also shares what high-quality teacher training and resources can look like, and makes the case that the best civics education is grounded in knowledge, primary sources, and great storytelling that helps students understand how our system really works and why it is worth preserving.