Monfredo: Civics Education…A Relic of The Past or Critical Component to Our Future

Saturday, October 25, 2014
John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, (known as the Nation’s Report Card), data published several years ago revealed that only about one-quarter of American students scored at or above proficient in their knowledge of United States History. Students’ lack of basic civic knowledge should be a concern for everyone. Nationwide, the worst performance was by seniors in high school with 12% reaching proficiency.  We all know that most of education reform has focused on closing the achievement gap in English Language Arts, Math and Science. However, we also need to look at the basic knowledge that our children are acquiring in knowing the concepts of American History.

In all of our high schools students need to understand how basic American civics work, and how government works for if they don’t we can’t expect them to vote. Thus, they will not take part in policy decisions that affect our cities, our state and our nation.

It was with the above mentioned concern in mind that school committee member Brian O’Connell with support from Dianna Biancheria and me filed the following agenda item:

To consider whether the students of the Worcester Public Schools should be encouraged or required to demonstrate an appropriate mastery of basic civics prior to their graduation, and, in this regard, to consider administering the civics portion of the United States Naturalization Test to seniors, or to a representative sample of senior, on a pilot basis.

After a discussion on this issue, Mr. O’Connell pulled off the agenda the part of requesting that the United States Naturalization Test be given to seniors, due to vigorous opposition from other School Committee members to use of the test. Unfortunately the item was defeated even when the issue on giving the Naturalization Test was pulled off the table. 

I certainly support this agenda item for as a system we need to discuss whether we are meeting the needs of our students in the area of Civics.  Do our students have the knowledge of how education and other areas of government are funded and how local school and municipal budgets are developed and passed? How do we measure how our students are developing the basic citizenry literacy skills that one should learn in school? This agenda item, if passed, would have gone to the Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Support for more discussion. Then, if all of the needs are being met or are not a vote on this issue can be taken.

This subject is not whether you are a conservative or liberal, for learning about civics is about values that all of us have and the freedoms we take for granted that are guaranteed by the Constitution. Our students need to have knowledge about our nation’s laws and how we are governed.   

At the meeting both Mr. O’Connell and I were perplexed as to why anyone would object to giving our students the opportunity to be aware of what the Naturalization test is all about?    This test is the same one immigrants have to pass right now to become citizens. The test questions range from the fundamentals of the Constitution, to identifying the three branches of  government, to the common name for the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

According to research from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, 92% of immigrants pass the test with 60% or better on their first try, but a study of native born citizens finds that about 33% failed the test. How sad!

Here is a sample of some of the test questions and if you don’t know the answers they are there too.

What is the supreme law of the land?

▪ The Constitution

What does the Constitution do?

▪ Sets up the government

▪ Defines the government

▪ Protects basic rights of Americans

      3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

    ▪ We the People

      4. What is an amendment?

▪ A change (to the Constitution)

▪ An addition (to the Constitution)

      5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

▪ The Bill of Rights

      6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*

▪ Speech

▪ Religion

▪ Assembly

▪ Press

▪ Petition the government

     7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?    27

     8. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).

▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.

▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)

▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).

     9. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

▪ Serve on a jury

▪ Vote in a federal election

    10. Name one right only for United States citizens.

▪ Vote in a federal election

▪ Run for federal office

    11. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

▪ American Indians

▪ Native Americans

    12. When was the Constitution written?

▪ 1787

    13. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S.. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

▪ (James) Madison

▪ (Alexander) Hamilton

▪ (John) Jay

The test has 100 civics (history and government) questions and it is an oral test. A U.S.. Citizenship and Immigration Service Officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.

Gene Koo, director of iCivics, an education non-profit that promotes civics education and encourages students to become active citizens, stated, "We always assumed that those who grew up here were getting that in the school system. That stopped being true a couple decades ago, and you can see the results of that in this study," he noted that 44% of those with a high school education or less passed the test, rising to 82% among college grads. 

Dr. Marco Rodrigues, chief academic officer for the Worcester Public Schools, feels that the American history curriculum goes into greater depth in regards to issues and does not focus solely on factual information. The administration of the Worcester Public Schools does contend that the Massachusetts History and Social Science Frameworks and the curriculum of the Worcester Public Schools provides some opportunities for students to study both civics and the Constitution of the United States.  

However, the fact remains that so many of our students graduate from high school without learning enough about the nation’s constitution. I believe that there are not that many opportunities available in our school system. In the past there were more Civic courses offered and there was a “Model Congress” Club after school program for students. This club encouraged student participation in school governance, and students debated current issues related to contemporary events.  

Having a high quality civic learning offers many benefits to our students.  The National Council of Social Studies states that students who leave high school with civic competencies achieved through high quality civic learning practices are equipped to address complex challenges, work and study with diverse colleagues, and creatively solve problems that do not have easy solutions. They are also more likely to vote and discuss politics at home, to volunteer and work on community issues, and are more confident in their ability to speak publicly and communicate with their elected representatives. Schools with civic learning programs are more likely to be safe, inclusive, and respectful, and in addition, experience fewer high school dropouts. For these reasons and many more, it is critically important to revitalize civic learning as the core purpose of education for all students at all grade levels.

This is what I’d like to see happen … have our students take a pre Naturalization test during their study of Civics or American History. They can then get an understanding of how those events came about and then before the course is over take another test. Let’s expose them to the test and evaluate the results. We all know that good education is much more than just factual information but also students need to know factual information in the learning process as students have had to do with vocabulary, math facts and the spelling of words. Knowledge of how our government works is something that is essential for tomorrow’s voters and leaders. 

 As Mr. O’Connell emphasized, “the very future of our democracy depends on a well-informed and active population of voters, who understand the basics of government and who are able to make sound decisions in the leaders they select. Instruction in civics benefits students, but, in a more important way, it benefits all of us, and the future of our society, as well.” 

Let us also review our civic education offerings and consider additional add-ons, for one of the main purposes of our educational system is to promote good citizenship, democracy and free government. In addition, as we did several years ago with the Model Congress Club,  let’s provide after school Civics activities. Research shows that those who participate in these activities remain more civically engaged that their contemporaries. 

Changes in society have to start in our schools for the schools are communities in which our future leaders learn to interact, argue, and work together as a team, an important foundation for future citizenship.