CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – State Sen. Lou D’Allesandro believes civics should be taught in kindergarten through 12th grade. But he’ll settle for a semester in high school.

D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, is sponsoring a bill that would make civics – the study of U.S. citizens’ rights and responsibilities – a mandatory class for all high school students.

D’Allesandro, also a political science teacher at Saint Anselm College, said there’s a need for basic education to improve future political involvement in the state. Most teenagers, he said, don’t know who their representatives are or what opportunities they have to speak at public meetings.

“I’ve found students are unaware of so many things,” he said.

Few New Hampshire schools require civics courses for graduation. At some schools, civic engagement lessons are part of American history courses.

According to Jim Fletcher, head of the Social Studies department at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, the combined course provides adequate coverage of the topic.

“What we teach the kids in terms of the Constitution and voting rights is sufficient right now,” he said. “To mandate a course in civics would be overkill.”

But D’Allesandro, who taught specialized civics courses at two state high schools in the past, argues that a whole semester should be spent on the lessons.

“There’s plenty of material for a stand-alone course, just start with the very basics about civic engagement,” he said. “(Students) need to learn how can I become … involved, what can I do for my community, how do government agencies that are supposed to serve me work?”

His proposal has been rejected twice in the past. One reason may have been that another mandated class would mean students would have fewer electives, he said.

Fletcher agreed that students need several electives to discover their passions and the addition of a fifth state-ordered social studies class was not necessary at this time. American government, economics, world history and United States history already are required courses.

“But I’d be the first to admit from a voting standpoint, (citizens) shirk our duty,” he said. “When 35 percent of the population doesn’t vote in a presidential election year, that is disappointing in a democratic system. I’m just not sure that teaching them civics as a stand-alone course is going to get them to vote and become involved.”