Posted on 05/06/2023 4:45:28 AM PDT by george76
This week, history and civics scores across the nation plummeted to record lows among eighth graders. Just 13% of students performed at or above the “proficient” level in U.S. history. It is the latest appalling report on our declining educational system — a matter that should be treated as a national crisis of literally historic proportions. As discussed in prior columns, we are graduating students from high school who cannot proficiently read or do math. School districts have responded by solving the problem by simply lowering standards and eliminating gifted programs. Now we are producing citizens who know little about our history or our values.
The decline has been blamed on the pandemic, though these declines have long plagued our public schools. Nevertheless, the lockdowns had a profound impact on the psychological and intellectual development of our students. While other countries refused to shutdown their schools or go to virtual classrooms, the school districts and teacher unions pushed for closures. In Europe, countries cited ample scientific evidence refuting the need to close schools. However, experts in this country were banned from social media and attacked in the press for raising these studies. The National Education Association and teacher union leaders supported censorship during this period.
What is even more maddening is to hear those who opposed reopening schools, like Randi Weingarten, now insisting that they were really pushing for keeping schools open despite their public statements to the contrary. As the costs of this disastrous decision mount, suddenly no one in education or the media was opposed to in-person classes.
Putting those decisions aside, the drop in scores also reflects a deemphasis on civics and history over the last decade as other subjects have been given greater priority. I have watched with growing alarm the lessons given to my own children in public schools. History often seemed a vehicle for making political or social commentary.
I have been a huge supporter of public schools my whole life. While my parents could afford private schools, they helped form a group to keep white families in the public school system in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s. They wanted their kids to be part of a diverse school environment. I also sent my kids to public schools for the same reason. I view our public schools as important parts of our society as we shape future citizens.
Now our educational system is dropping in history and civics scores as well as math and English. We are failing our children across the board and undermining a rising generation of citizens. Yet, we are likely to see just another shrug followed by some mumbling about the pandemic. There will also likely be demands for more money despite the unbroken record of failure in many of our public school districts.
These scores once again show how educators and unions are killing public education in this country. They continue to treat families as virtual captives rather than respond to these demands for competence and accountability. Many are voting with their feet and leaving public schools in jurisdictions allowing vouchers or other options.
The drop in civics scores may be even more alarming than the declines in math and English. We can train people for jobs in this new economy. It is far more difficult to shape citizens who have never been taught about the underlying struggle and values that define this nation.
James Madison is often quoted for his statement that “a popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both.” What is not widely known is that Madison made that statement in response to a letter from William Taylor Barry, a Kentuckian who wrote him about the effort to create primary and secondary educational programs in his state. Information remains the paramount value in public education as well as the transparency needed to secure it.
In the same way, the farce that is our current educational system is producing a generation of historically illiterate citizens. That can only be a tragedy in the making.
Stop sending kids to public schools. They’re better off in child labor at this point.
I doubt a bunch of border hoppers give a crap about George Washington or the constitution
There is a reason we have open borders.
The dumb and ignorant, become dependents on the state and are easier to control, and they will do whatever you say because they have no choices.
“Just 13% of students performed at or above the “proficient” level in U.S. history. It is the latest appalling report on our declining educational system —”
Randi Weingarten is rubbing her hands in glee, “Only 13 percent more to go until no one knows or cares about American history and civics, then onto the next task, reducing reading and writing skills down to the level of 1st grade.”
Schools are intentionally bad. I really believe that.
I recently heard of a Math lesson (Third Grade):
The teacher asked “Is 1/3 equal to 1/6?”
The answer is “Yes”.
To prove this, the teacher took 6 little wooden triangles (5 red, 1 white) and arranged them as a hexagon. Then she took 3 little wooden triangles (2 red, 1 white) and arranged them as a trapezoid.
She explained that “this white triangle” is 1/6 of the hexagon, and “that white triangle” is 1/3 of the trapezoid. The triangles are the same size.
So 1/6 is equal to 1/3.
This is a system that is working very hard to make darn sure kids do not learn Math — or History, or Civics, or anything.
This is the heritage the Marxists Dems will leave us with.
Most of the new younger generations aren’t interested in History and Civics. All they want to do is go hiking, watch CNN while eating pizza, poke a cellphone all day and wear a back pack around everywhere they go.
That is the goal...destroy history and civics.
Those Who Forget History Are Doomed To Repeat It
The National Education Association Teachers Union has sold everyone to the slave market.
13% ?!
They’ve failed spectularly at educating the kids. (yes, I realize that’s their intention)
That should be grounds for ejecting all teachers in school systems that report such horrendous ‘rducation’ levels and be replaced with actual teachers
Yours is a very perceptive comment. As these unaccomplished, socially-promoted "students" confront a job market requiring skills, they will remain in the bottom rung of things economically. Such is the serfdom to which they are being led through "edjukashun."
BTTT
Government schools. Because government has a vested interest in keeping people stupid.
.
My recollection was the history they’ve been taught was liberal biased anyways. I remember some of the stuff my kids came home with.
No real loss.
I read an article the other day saying that America’s school age population is overwhelming politically left. Dumbing down the schools would cause this!
I can guarantee that a certain segment of American society will view this report as success. And the majority of those losers will reside in academe.
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