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Lack of faith in government is tied to a lack of civics education say supporters of an effort to increase civics education in our schools. One study has found that only about half can name the three branches of Government. But as Mike Vasilinda tells us, a grant hopes to change the level of education.

Democracy was founded on the principle of three separate but equal branches of government.

The Legislative, the Judicial, the Executive.

We asked John Fulman to name them. He got one right..three times.

“Congress, Senate, House of Representatives,” Fulman said.

Down the street, Ronnie James did a little better.

“Legislative, Judiciary,,,can’t get that last one,” James said.

These guys aren’t alone. Four out of ten Floridians couldn’t name them either.

So a frustrated former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and Representative Lou Frey are behind an initiative to train Florida’s 66,000 elementary school teachers.

“Most of them never had a college course in civics,” Frey said. “And when asked about what they did, the teachers say we spend less than two hours a week on civics, history education, the economy, etc. So that’s a whole ‘nother bunch we’ve got to work with.”

One of the three branches…state lawmakers..will be asked to make civics part of the FCAT test.

“The reality is, of education today, if it’s not tested it tends not to be taught,” Graham said.

And if lawmakers agree another branch, the executive, will be asked to sign the bill into law. No one expects the third branch, the courts, to be involved.