Progressive Calls for Civics Education

Campus Report ^ | April 11, 2008 | Bethany Stotts

[bs9021]

Progressive Calls for Civics Education

by: Bethany Stotts, April 11, 2008

Contrary to the assumption that curriculum reform is promoted by only by conservatives, a member of the progressive movement recently lamented that students were losing touch with their American heritage. “We need to care, the Progressive Movement needs to care that the fabric of civics education in our country essentially has been decimated,” said Andrea Batista Schlesinger at a recent conference on the New Deal.

However, Schlesinger warned the audience to not tell anyone what she said, lest she be accused of being a neoconservative. “And this where I feel that I can do this safely here so I hope that you won’t go and tell anyone else what I said here because these are the [moments] of which my friends and colleagues accuse me of being a neoconservative but I feel you’re a trusting audience and that you’ll let me get through my points,” she said.

And what were these scandalous, inadmissible comments? The Executive Director of the progressive Drum Major Institute expressed her concern on how badly American students performed on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and other civics tests...(snip)

The 2007 NAEP report indicates

• 14% of Fourth Graders understood defendants had a right to a lawyer. • 47% of Fourth Graders identified the role of the Supreme Court.

• 28% of Eighth Graders could explain the historical purpose of the Declaration of Independence. • 49% of Eighth Graders linked religious freedom to the Bill of Rights.

• 5% of Twelfth Graders could explain checks on presidential power. • 50% of Twelfth Graders understood that federal laws preempt state laws.

Schlesinger asked, “Do young people understand why social security was created? Do they understand why it’s a social insurance program not an investment program?”....

[Arthur McGowan]

Just what we need, “Progressives” (Communists) teaching their version of civics in the government schools. As though they haven’t controlled the government schools from the beginning.

[LiteKeeper]

But are you smarter than a fifth grader?

[DesScorp]

I don't trust liberals to "reform" the curriculum. I know what their idea of "civics" would be... nothing but a spiel on how America sucks, except when it elects Democrats.

[MrB]

They definitely won’t be teaching them economics.

A good economics foundation is probably the best defense against liberal indoctrination.

[Graybeard58]

fabric of civics education in our country essentially has been decimated,” said Andrea Batista Schlesinger

I'd be willing to bet that Andrea doesn't even know that "decimated" means by one-tenth.

[Excellence]

We need a population of young people... [a] populace of young people who are prepared to ask the questions, who are prepared to ask the questions of corporate power...I’m not really suggesting homeschool for progressive children—alright, it’s a possibility,” she said. The audience laughed at the homeschooling comment.

We homeschool to get away from people like YOU, Schlesinger.

[OCC]

• 14% of Fourth Graders understood defendants had a right to a lawyer.

I learned that from Dragnet, not from skool.