Embedded Files
Enduring Understanding:
● Public policy includes the decisions, commitments and actions made by those who hold or affect government positions.
● Public policies are often embodied in laws, rules or regulations.
● Civil society includes media, voluntary organizations and interest groups, which mediate between individuals and government.
● Individuals and civil society can influence public policy outcomes by speaking with their elected representatives and lobbying for change.
Vocabulary:
● Civil Society
● Interest groups
● Public Policy
Civil Society
Private sphere: family and friends associate to pursue private interests free of unreasonable intrusion by the government. E.g., individuals decide how many children they want to have.
Civil society: people associate to pursue interests they share and these associations monitor and influence government. E.g., NJEA, Bar Association, Medical Association, realtor, Insurance agents, religious organizations. It was our vibrant “civil society” that impressed De Tocqueville when he visited the U.S. in the 1830s (although he didn’t use this term.)
Government: formally elected or appointed representatives at local, state and national levels make decisions about public policy
Which sector of society?
Private, civil society or government?
1. A local school board changes graduation requirements.
2. Susan becomes a member of the Girl Scouts.
3. Carmen and her friend go out to dinner and a movie.
4. Marco’s family and friends have a picnic on July 4.
5. Sara and her sisters join the teachers’ union.
6. The Sierra Club lobbies the New Jersey government to pass environmental protection laws.
7. The New Jersey state legislature passes a law limiting the use of cell phones while driving.
8. Citizens join a taxpayer’s association in an effort to get government to lower property taxes in NJ.
9. The federal government awards a contract to a private company to repair sections of an interstate highway.
10. A city council passes a law establishing smoke free zones in public parks.
Public policies may be implemented by:
√ Government alone √ Government acting cooperatively with civil society √ Government and civil society acting independently √ Civil society handling problems in accordance with government policy
Is it a Public Policy?
The Problem:
Poor families in the community need food and adequate clothing. One solution: City officials fund a program for needy individuals to “buy” food and clothing from participating merchants using vouchers. This is a public policy.
Another solution: A women’s civic organization conducts a drive to collect food and clothing and then distributes it to needy individuals. This is NOT a public policy.
Civil Society Initiatives vs. Public Policy
Have your students identify some local efforts by civil society organizations to improve the community
Have your students identify some public policies implemented to improve the community
Why learn about public policymaking?
Ignorance about the public policymaking process leaves us without the tools to get things done. There is confusion about who does what in the policymaking arena. Knowledge, practical experience and citizenship skills empower citizens to influence public policy.
What are the advantages of a public policy solution?
√ Civil society solutions depend on the voluntary efforts of individuals and may end √ Public policy solutions continue until changed
Process for doing projects
1. Understand public policy 2. Identify a problem in the community that requires a public policy solution 3. Gather and evaluate information on the problem 4. Examine and evaluate alternative solutions 5. Develop a proposed public policy to address the problem 6. Develop an action plan to get their policy adopted by government 7. Organize the materials into a portfolio to present to the appropriate governmental agency and (if you want) to share at the annual State Project Citizen Showcase 8. Reflect on the learning experience individually and as a class.
Sources for Citizen Action Projects by Students
Project Citizen , iCivics: Local Solutions Civic Action, Newseum , Generation Citizen, Youth-Led Participatory Action Research, Mikvah Challenge Human Rights Educators USA NJ Dept. of Education—climate change Agency for Toxic Substances—identifying risks
Decide on a problem to address:
Is it important/feasible?
Consider: Scope? Intensity? Duration? Resources at stake? Human rights involved? Information available? Feasibility: Sufficiently narrow?
Decide on a problem to address
Violence on school campuses
Budget cuts in school funding
Consider and compare: scope, duration, resources at stake, information available and breadth of scope. Then apply the same criteria to the issues your students have identified.
Gather Information, Identify sources of information, Public policy makers and interest groups , Telephone calls, Interviews , Letters, Libraries, newspapers, websites
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