Judge rules against students seeking better civics education

By MARK PRATT Associated Press
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a group of Rhode Island school children demanding a better civics education in the nation’s public schools. But in the same decision the judge praised the students for bringing attention to the issue and lamented the delicate state of American democracy. The class-action lawsuit filed in November 2018 asked the court to confirm the constitutional right of all public school students to a civics education. U.S. District Court Judge William Smith in his 55-page ruling released Tuesday said that right has not been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court. An attorney for the students said the decision will be appealed.