The Threat from One of Our Founding Principles

One of the founding principles of our democratic republic is that we elect other people to speak on our behalf.  Throughout most of our lives, it has been drilled into our heads that this is how our system of representative government works.  As a result, many citizens believe their patriotic responsibility begins and ends in the voting booth.  Even though keeping citizens on the sidelines, other than on election day, may be compatible with the way our democracy is supposed to work, it is a serious threat to the future of our public schools which need the full support of an engaged, knowledgeable and empowered public in order to take them back.