How can democracy be enhanced in schools?
Should political education be a mandatory part of the secondary school curriculum? How can we improve democracy education to better prepare students for civic engagement?
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by strengthening free opinion.
indem die freie Meinung gestsärkt wird.
In view of the collapse of the democracies surrounding Switzerland, this education is more necessary than ever. Our Constitution can only survive if people are educated, know how to use their rights and learn to respect our rules and laws.
Today, this education must be broadened to take account of the changes that are taking place, the unpredictable climate, the urgent need to preserve biodiversity, natural environments and our sources of food, agriculture and livestock.
Empty bellies will never be able to practise and respect our rules for living well together.
The situation around us, without going any further than France, is absolutely disastrous. A complete dislocation of society which, having lost its Christian roots, believes it can replace the exercise of democracy with a wokism that is devastating national coherence.
Let's educate, let's always educate young people to respect others, to respect their civic rights and duties, and let's never lose sight of what underpins our country, mutual tolerance and the Christian faith that unites us.
Au vu de l'effondrement des démocraties qui entourent la Suisse, cette éducation est plus que jamais nécessaires. Notre Constitution ne peut survivre qu'à condition que le peuple soit éduqué, sache utiliser les droits, apprenne à respecter nos règles et nos lois.
Cette éducation doit être aujourd'hui élargie pour tenir compte des changements qui s'opèrent, climat imprévisible, urgence dans la préservation de la biodiversité, des milieux naturels, de nos sources d'alimentation, agriculture et élevage.
C'est une condition sine qua non, les ventres vides ne sauront jamais pratiquer et respecter nos règles de bien vivre ensemble.
Le constat autour de nous, sans aller plus loin que la France, est absolument désastreux. Une dislocation complète de la société qui, ayant perdu les racines chrétiennes, croit pouvoir remplacer l'exercice démocratique, par un wokisme dévastateur de la cohérence nationale.
Eduquons, éduquons toujours la jeunesse au respect des autres, des droits et des devoirs civiques, ne perdons jamais de vue ce qui fait le fondement du pays, la tolérance réciproque, la foi chrétienne qui nous unit.
Dear Elena Lacroix Jaeggy, thank you for your interesting contribution to this conversation. I am very much agree that democracy education in school deserves more attention and a broader scope. What I wonder is, if you could develop your remark about the the 'absolutely disastrous' situation in 'France'. Which civic rights and duties are at risk in your view and how can they be developed in your view? As France is heading to parliament elections in a few weeks time, which issues would you as a voter and citizen like to be addressed in these elections? Best regards Bruno Kaufmann
What democracy around the Schweiizer has collapsed?
Yes, education should be expanded to independent thinking.
Why should empty bellies learn to obey our rules. If that's why they have empty bellies?
Where has society completely disintegrated?
Shouldn't we be a good example for our youth first?
Welche Demokratie um die Schweiizer herum ist zusammengerbrochen?
Ja, die Bildung sollte zu sebständigen Denken erweitert werden.
Warum sollten leere Bäuche lernen unsere Regeln einzuhalten. Wenn sie deshalb leere Bäuche haben?
Wo hat sich die Gesellschaft völlig Aufgelöst?
Sollten wir für unsere Jugend nicht zuerst ein gutes Beispiel sein.
Reading your article about education for democracy, I'm full of admiration. Especially since "in my day" 🙄 a dual French and Swiss national, having done my primary and secondary schooling in nearby France, the teaching of democracy was not the most important "branch" as it is in Taiwan, and whose strict obligation was left to the discretion of the headmaster of the Lycée, but in "my Lycée" it was taught quite seriously. It's an education that I haven't regretted and which has been of great use to me all my life. Yes, democracy must be properly taught at school, for the sake of national cohesion!
À la lecture de votre article concernant l'éducation à la démocratie, je suis plein d'admiration. Surtout que "de mon temps" 🙄, double national Français et Suisse, ayant fait mes classes primaires et secondaires en France proche, l'enseignement de la démocratie n'était pas la "branche" la plus importante comme à Taïwan, et dont la stricte obligation était laissée à l'appréciation du directeur du Lycée, mais dans "mon Lycée" était enseigné de façon assez sérieuse. C'est une formation que je n'ai pas regretté et qui m'a été utile de façon soujascente toute ma vie. Je pense, néanmoins que "çà a dû bien changer depuis, hélas!Oui la démocratie doit être correctement enseignée à l'école, foi de cohésion nationale!
Thank you very much for your kind words and appreciatioon of the Taiwanese experience. It would be interesting to read a little bit more about how the democracy education worked in your Lycée in practice and what you could take with you in your life from that. Best regards
I think democracy should not only be taught, but lived every day.
Ich denke Demokratie sollte nicht nur gelehrt , sondern täglich gelebt werde.
Civic education should not only be seen as a subject, but also as a life experience at school. The dialogue about rights, duties, common good, democracy, citizenship, etc. must be confronted with the conditions that children and young people assume and live in this common space and then link it, transpose it, compare it with community life in the region or country in which they live.
La educación cívica no solo debe asumirse como una asignatura, sino como una experiencia de vida en la escuela. El diálogo sobre los derechos, deberes, bien común, democracia, ciudadanía, etc. tienen que confrontarse con las condiciones que los niños y jóvenes asumen y viven en dicho espacio común para luego vincularlo, traspolarlo, compararlo con la vida comunitaria en la región o país en el que viven.
A very exciting and important approach to the topic. Do you know of examples of schools where this is practised?
Eine sehr spannender und wichtiger Zugang zum Thema. Kennen Sie Beispiele von Schulen, wo dies so gelebt wird?
Aren't children fundamentally open-minded, friendly, eager to learn? Why not leave them as they are? Shouldn't the school adapt to the children "in this shared space" (instead of the other way round)?
Sind Kinder nicht grundsätzlich, weltoffene, gwundrige, lernbegierung und freundliche Wesen? Warum lässt man sie nicht so wie sie sind? Sollte die Schule sich "in diesem gemeinsamen Raum" nicht den Kindern anpassen (statt umgekehrt)?
I think that civic education should be a compulsory subject in primary education. Through this course, students acquire a rough panorama about democratic politics. It should include at least:
1. why I need a civic education class
2. the purpose, definition, and advantages and disadvantages of democratic politics. The relationship between democratic politics and me
3. an overview of Swiss democracy
4. organising discussions/debates on recent social issues and referendums
我以为，公民教育应该是初级教育的一门必修课。通过这个课程，学生获得有关民主政治的粗略的全景图。它应该至少包括：
1. 为什么我需要上公民教育课
2. 民主政治的目的、定义和优缺点。民主政治和我的关系
3. 瑞士民主制度概论
4. 组织关于近期社会热点和全民公投的讨论/辩论
Thank your for your great list for democracy education at primary school level. A true foundation for such a curriculum!
I didn't learn my political views at school, and that's a good thing. Isn't the best school your own experiences, even in politics? Teachers have their own views on politics, and they shouldn't bring them into school.
meine politischen Ansichten habe ich nicht in der Schule mitbekommen, und das ist gut so. Ist die beste Schule nicht die eigenen Erfahrungen und Erlebnisse, auch in der Politik. Lehrer haben Ihre eigenen Ansichten über die Politik, und die sollten sie nicht in die Schule bringen.
Yes, and they should be complemented by practical workshops, discussions, theatre-drama-comedies taking into consideration the good and bad civic "examples" from Switzerland and other countries. To understand and comprehend in that way.
Si, y deben complementarse con talleres practicos, conversatorios, teatros-dramas-comedias tomando en consideracion los "ejemplos" civicos buenos y malos de Suiza y otros paises. Entender y comprender en esa forma.
Don't we already have enough "theatre drama comedies" and bourgeois "examples" in this world?
Haben wir nicht schon genug "Theater-Drama-Komödien" und bürgerliche "Beispiele" auf dieser Welt?
Yes, I agree that civic education should be compulsory. It existed in the past and the Swiss understood everything about the political functioning of Switzerland.
Switzerland is the only country that has a real democratic system and this must be protected and known by young people from school onwards.
Compulsory secondary education and only informal primary education.
Oui ! Je suis d'accord d'avoir l'éducation civique obligatoire. Elle avait existé dans le passé et les suisses concassaient tout le fonctionnement politique de la Suisse.
La Suisse est l'unique pays qui a un vrais système démocratique et ceci doit être protégé et connu par les jeunes depuis l'école.
Au secondaire obligatoire et au primaire seulement informelle.
Is Switzerland really the only country where there is a genuine democratic system?
And is it compulsory?
Ist die Schweiz wirklich das einzige Land wo es ein echtes demokratischen System gibt?
Und obligatorisch ist das auch noch?
In France, at primary school, the school day began with a moral lesson, the subject of which was written on the blackboard. At collège, there were civics lessons (weekly or daily, I can't remember). But that was all before!
En France, à l'école primaire, la journée de classe commençait par une leçon de morale dont le thème était écrit au tableau noir. Au collège il y avait des cours d'instruction civique. (hebdomadaires ou quotidiens , je ne m'en souviens pas) . Mais tout ça, c'était avant !
Absolutely!
For my part, I have had no experience with democracy education in (ITALIAN!!!) schools.
Assolutamente sì!
Dal canto mio, non ho avuto alcuna esperienza con l'educazione alla democrazia nella scuola (ITALIANA!!!).
In my opinion, in lower secondary schools it is too early. It would be much more useful in upper secondary schools (high schools, trade school) and vocational schools.
Rather than civics lessons, it would be more effective to make it compulsory to teach the activity entitled Youth Debate: therein lies the heart of democracy.
A mio avviso nelle scuole secondarie inferioro è troppo presto. Sarebbe molto più utile nelle scuole secondarie superiori (licei, scuola do commercio) e nelle scuole professionali.
Anziché lezioni di civica, sarebbe più efficace rendere obbligatoria l'attività orafacoltativa intitolata La gioventù dibatte: lì c'è il cuore della democrazia.
Hello: why do you think it is still too early for democracy education at secondary school level? Wouldn't there be forms of such teaching suitable for the different levels? I know of examples from Austria and Finland where democratic behaviour and practices are already part of the curriculum in kindergarten, for example in the form of soft toy elections.
Guten Tag: weshalb meinen Sie, dass es in der Sekundarstufe noch zu früh ist für die Demokratiebildung? Gäbe es nicht stufengerechte Formen solchen Unterrichtes? Ich kenne Beispiele aus Österreich und Finnland, wo bereits in den Kindergärten demokratische Umgangsformen und Praktiken auf dem Lehrplan stehen, etwa in Form von Plüschtierwahlen.
Instead of civics lessons, wouldn't it perhaps be more effective to give people the opportunity to learn to understand the world, politics, poverty, injustice, waste, censorship and persecution etc. so that they can change it?
Anstelle des Staatsbürgerkundeunterrichts wäre es nicht eventuel effektiver, den Menschen die Möglichkeit zu geben, die Welt, die Politik, die Armut, die Ungerechtigkei, die Verschwenung, das Zensurieren und Verfolgen etc. verstehen zu lernen, damit sie es ändern können?
Civic education should be introduced at least as early as middle school with practical exercises based on the example of Taiwan. The principle of active participation in public affairs should be encouraged with clear examples. Ditto for the functioning of the legislative, executive and judicial powers. It is not difficult at all, because these are intuitive practices that pupils learn easily. Also respect the fact that if the majority wins, one must adapt if many ifs and buts. And also that the majority in time could be replaced with a new vote. I have never understood teachers who strenuously (!) oppose such basic civic teachings: they are either ideological anti-democrats or maximalists who should have no place in public schools.
Dovrebbe esser introdotta l'educazione civica già almeno alle scuole medie con tanto di esercitazioni pratiche sull'esempio di Taiwan. Il principio della partecipazione attiva alla cosa pubblica va incoraggiato con chiari esempi. Idem, per il funzionamento dei poteri legislativo, esecutivo e giudiziario. Non è per nulla difficile, perché trattasi di pratiche intuitive che gli allievi imparano con facilità. Rispettare pure il fatto che se vince la maggioranza, bisogna adattarsi se tanti se e ma. E pure che la maggioranza col tempo potrebbe essere sostituita con una nuova votazione. Non ho mai capito gli insegnanti che si oppongono strenuamente (!) a tali insegnamenti civici basilari: o sono degli antidemocratici ideologici, oppure dei massimalisti che non dovrebbe trovare posto nelle scuole pubbliche.
I have had very good experiences with democracy education at school.
Ich habe sehr gute Erfahrungen mit der Demokratiebildung in der Schule gemacht.
But where?
Ma dove ?
I am definitely of the opinion that opinions outside the mainstream should also be discussed. If this was not done enough during the coronavirus crisis, it should be addressed. However, the idea that "opinions are being silenced" is (also) a conspiracy myth of the far right and is not true. Anti-vaccination campaigners (like the opponents of Western support for Ukraine today) sometimes experience harsh headwinds - nobody is silenced here, that is not even possible in a liberal society with so many social media channels accessible to everyone.
Ich bin durchaus der Meinung, dass man auch Meinungen ausserhalb des Mainstreams diskutieren sollte. Soweit man dies während der Corona-Krise zu wenig gemacht hat, müsste man dies aufarbeiten. Dass "Meinungen zum Schweigen gebracht werden" ist aber (auch) ein Verschwörungsmythos der ganz Rechten und stimmt so nicht. Die Impfgegner (wie heute die Gegner einer westlichen Unterstützung der Ukraine) erfahren manchmal harschen Gegenwind zum Schweigen gebracht wird hier niemand, das ist in einer freiheitlichen Gesellschaft mit so vielen, allen zugänglichen Social Media-Kanälen gar nicht möglich.
I understand you completely and totally, ONLY. what does your opinion have to do with the topic?
How can democracy education in schools be strengthened?
Ich verstehe Sie ganz und total, NUR. was hat Ihre Meinung mit dem Thema zu tun?
Wie kann die Demokratiebildung an Schulen gestärkt werden?
A good start would be to allow opinions, of any kind, to be voiced peacefully instead of silenced because they didn't conform with prevailing views. "Live and let live" should not be shunned aside.
You're quite right, but even Swissinfo doesn't want to hear your own trenchant opinions.
Sie haben ganz recht, aber eigene, pointierte Meinungen sind auch bei Swissinfo unerwünscht.
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