Belief in the fundamental importance of civic education for democracy has been long-standing. But if educators can agree that schools have an essential role to play in preparing students for informed engagement in civic and political life, they cannot seem to agree on what that means. The very same efforts that are applauded by some are viewed as misguided by others. The result for schoolchildren has been a mostly watered-down notion of civics that emphasizes good character and patriotism over critical thinking and engaging with multiple perspectives. At the same time, the number of young people worldwide now willing to entertain nondemocratic forms of government is on the rise. For example, nearly a quarter of U.S. youth aged 16 to 24 believe that democracy is a "bad" or "very bad" way of governing. About 70% of millennials do not think it is essential to live in a country governed by democratic rule of law. This article examines the ideological tensions that underlie civic education policies and practice in a time of rising populist support for anti-democratic forms of governance.