Civic Ignorance Begets Civil Unrest

Real Clear Politics ^ | May 7,2015 | By Les Francis

[Hojczyk]

Every now and then those of us who follow the news closely will read, view or hear stories that seem separate and unconnected. But, as we think more about them, we make connections and establish a larger context. So it was for me last week.

First came the alarming civil unrest in Baltimore.

Within a couple of days, I read about a different kind of protest, this one in Texas

The third story that got my attention came in the form of a report from the U.S. Department of Education detailing the results of the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). ''

According to the 2014 NAEP tests in civics, geography and history for eighth grade students, only 23 percent demonstrate a proficiency in civics and only 18 percent demonstrate a proficiency in history.

Going back to the Baltimore uprising, a civilized society cannot excuse mass violence or looting; hooliganism is not a political movement, and rioting is not demonstrating. By the same token, neither can a civilized people ignore factors that have combined to create feelings of frustration with, alienation toward, and civic disengagement from “the system.” Pervasive poverty and its accompanying social pathologies are real, but so, too, are a lack of knowledge and an awareness of the kind of constructive engagement that can help change the system.

Providence does not assure the health or the permanence of our republic. As Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor phrased it, “Civic knowledge is not passed down through the gene pool; it must be taught.” Indeed it must, and we’d better get on with it before it is too late.

[Flintlock]

Lemmie see, now.
Amerikka—founded by a buncha dead white guys who had some ‘religion’ or some such, ‘an what they have was STOLEN, ROBBED AND CHEATED AWAY from nice peaceful innjuns— BUT THEY ALL OF THEM OWNED SLAVES.

So, issall rotten ‘an and NO GOOD and we is all owed REPARATIONS $$$$$$$$$$—so FORK IT OVER honkey!!!

(Texed from my OBAMA FONE!)

[cripplecreek]

Something good that just came out of the Michigan legislature.

House Bill 4390: Allow financial literacy as high school economics credit

Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 5, 2015, to allow a financial literacy or “personal economics” course to be substituted for the one-half credit economics course required under state high school graduation standards.

I don't know where we stand on the constitutional literacy requirement that Dave Agema was pushing a few years ago but the liberals went rabid over it.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Nominal proficiency in civics ought to be a strict requirement for pulling the levers that establish our governing authorities.