The SCiLL I Know

The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL). At UNC, students hear this name in one of a few ways. One is “eww, that uber-conservative program that’s a waste of money and is trying to indoctrinate everyone.” A rare few respond with, “I haven’t heard of that.” But the vast majority just say, “oh…nice,” and immediately assume you’re a complete nerd. 

In all fairness, the last one might not be completely off. Yet none of these opinions completely describe the SCiLL program. SCiLL itself is intended to help students learn how to critically engage in civil discourse with people on different sides of the political aisle. This is a valuable life skill that many students come out of college lacking. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education found that at UNC, more than 50% of students self-censor at least several times a month. They also gave the university a failing grade for political tolerance.  That’s where SCiLL comes in. Its role isn’t to indoctrinate or serve as a safe space, but to push all of us to engage respectfully with the hard questions and offer critically thought-out answers.

UNC is one of no fewer than 41 institutions across the country that have begun this type of civic education program, but it specifically has faced significant criticism in the process from student voices on campus. Most of the criticism is around the organization of the school itself, but all of it has left a very negative connotation attached to the program and classes.  But normally, it just feels like people are complaining for the sake of complaining. After all, I speak from personal experience.

I started at UNC at the same time that the university established SCiLL. In a school notorious for large lecture style classes, my conversational SCiLL classes made it easy to meet other classmates and build relationships with professors. The advice I heard the most before going to school was “go to office hours.” These were the classes I felt most comfortable going and simply chatting with my professors. I’ve had many amazing professors at UNC across several departments, but one of the best was in my first SCiLL class. 

I was initially hesitant to engage because I didn’t want the school’s reputation to follow me in the future. Out of curiosity, I decided to take one class with a professor I knew, and was quickly hooked. My interest in civic institutions and American politics led me to take additional classes in political theory, while experience with debate and a desire to have the hard conversations pushed me to take classes where discussions covered political topics from across the spectrum. I have yet to take a single SCiLL class where my entire class felt or voted in the same manner, yet every class has included respectful and intriguing conversations.

I am regularly frustrated with people’s lack of willingness to give this program the opportunity to show its value. Part of citizenship is understanding why your vote matters. Being educated on America’s founding principles is a key part of coming to that understanding. Civics is also beyond politics. Supreme Court justices know the Constitution backwards and forwards, and still have differing opinions on how it should be applied. Having a strong grasp of our democracy equips students to make the decision they see as most fitting and responsible both for today and for preserving our nation for future generations.

Every student doesn’t need to minor in SCiLL or come out of college a civics expert. But taking one class on the foundational principles of American democracy will help to more fully educate young adults and empower them to be fruitful citizens. A school that seeks to educate students on foundational texts and encourage civil discourse seems to me like an asset for any university and benefit to both the student participants and the society that they will graduate and enter.

Sarah Beth Syfrett is a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill studying economics and political science and a research associate at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. She is also a Libertas Scholar in the SCiLL program. Her interests lie at the intersection of law and politics, with a particular focus on examining current events through a policy lens.