Education and Policy Leaders Urge Better Civics Education
Andrea Billups
[Reprinted from: Washington Times, 10 May
2000]
Some education officials and public policy leaders are so concerned
that students aren't getting sufficient instruction in American
government that they have formed the National Alliance for Civic
Education to promote teaching of civics in the classroom.
The latest round of scores from the National Assessment of
Educational Progress revealed that the nation's fourth-, eighth- and
twelfth-graders were less than "proficient" on a test of
civic knowledge and skills.
o About one-fourth failed to demonstrate even a "basic"
understanding of political methods and practices.
o This does not surprise observers, since only 25 states require
civics education in their schools.
Charles S. White, president of the Social Science
Education Consortium, warned that democracy in America "cannot be
sustained indefinitely if citizens lack fundamental civic knowledge,
skills and dispositions."
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