Commentary: Let’s make sure our little ones learn about good citizenship

Think back to the renowned “educational researcher” Jay Leno’s man on the street interviews, and it is glaringly obvious that the vast majority of well-dressed, seemingly intelligent beings are just plain dumb about the world around them.

Therefore, the first class on my list would be “How to be a USA citizen starting in kindergarten.”

The kindergarten curriculum would have the students learn the name of the president along with their own address, phone number, town and name of their school.

Each week they would be responsible for sharing some little fact about the president, as well as repeating their names and addresses.

They would also be made aware that this is a country in which they have a voice and begin to learn how to use it. They would dictate their thoughts about the food, custodian, cafeteria and possibly the principal to the teacher, who would write a letter or email on their behalf to the intended receiver. It would be in the form of a question, a compliment or a complaint

In first grade, all this would be repeated with the addition of the political parties, the town and the mayor. The students might want to say something about the crosswalks, lack of parks or something else on their minds.

This would go on in ever-sophisticated forms until graduation. By that time, these redoubtable, informed, empowered students would be sent out into the world to become actual citizens.

SANDY ASPER lives in Newport Beach.