Some might question whether teacher education programs have an obligation to promote or enhance the teaching of civic responsibility and engagement, especially if they believe that the primary purpose of education is to prepare students to enter the workforce or be successful as individuals. However, others have a more encompassing view of education and schooling. These people understand that education's central purpose is public and involves educating children and youth to take on the mantle of citizen and assume roles as contributing members of society. While this may include preparation of future adults for employment and competition in a global economy, that outcome emerges as by-product of the greater objective of developing in students the skills necessary to being good citizens. From this perspective, teacher education programs are duty bound to prepare teachers with the insight and expertise to educate students to become responsible citizens. In this article, the author urges teacher educators to promote civic engagement, directly and indirectly, within their courses and throughout their programs to prepare preservice teachers as citizens and model how they can teach their future students in the skills of citizenship and understandings of a democratic society. In other words, as members of an interrelated global society, teacher educators should orient their roles and identities toward being democratic in their teaching practices and toward preparing democratic teachers to meet this central purpose of education.