‘Mourning the Silence of Civic Education’: A Winning Student Open Letter

June 23, 2026 - 21:43

We are honoring the winners of our Student Open Letter Contest by publishing their entries. This one is by Chan-Yul Kim, age 16.

In a time when political discourse feels more like a battlefield than a town square, one high school student has penned a powerful call to action. Chan-Yul Kim, a 16-year-old from New York, won the latest Student Open Letter Contest with a piece titled "Mourning the Silence of Civic Education." His letter argues that schools have failed to prepare young people for the messy, essential work of democracy.

Kim writes that students are taught to memorize dates and names from history textbooks, but rarely learn how to argue respectfully, listen to opposing views, or understand how local government actually works. He describes a classroom where debates are avoided for fear of conflict, leaving students unprepared for the polarized world outside. "We are not being taught how to disagree without hating each other," he says.

The letter calls on educators to bring real civic skills back into the curriculum, not as a partisan exercise but as a foundation for citizenship. Kim suggests that students should practice deliberating on current issues, learn about the structure of their own city councils, and engage in mock legislative sessions. Without these tools, he warns, the next generation will inherit a democracy they do not know how to sustain.

The contest judges praised the letter for its clarity, urgency, and personal voice. Kim's entry stood out among hundreds for its direct appeal to teachers and administrators. "This is not about left or right," he concludes. "It is about whether we will have a functioning public square at all."