Credit Chris Lehman / KLCC
That’s one of the goals of Senate Bill 513, which was approved in the state Senate Wednesday. It would require public high school students to take at least one semester of civics in order to graduate.
Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, said Oregonians sometimes think the state legislature functions like a television show. “Often I have to explain to people what we’re dealing with in our political life, that the state government is not the “West Wing.” It is also not “Survivor” or “The Game Of Thrones,” he said.
The bill had bipartisan support, and was sponsored by the Senate Republican leader, Fred Girod, R-Lyons.