A measure is moving in the General Assembly that would require at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or governance in order to graduate from a University of North Carolina institution or a community college.
House Bill 7, the NC REACH Act, cleared the NC House Higher Education Committee on Wednesday. Under the bill, college students must take a course providing a comprehensive overview of major events and turning points in American history and government, including the reading of foundation documents like the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
The bill becomes effective beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.
“The outcome, obviously, is to have where our children and young folks come out of school with a better level of knowledge and understanding of who America is,” said Rep. Keith Kidwell, R-Beaufort, the bill’s primary sponsor.
Kidwell emphasized that the bill only applies to four- or two-year degree programs, not to certifications or certificates.
Jenna Robinson, president of the James. G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, spoke in favor of the bill during the committee meeting. Robinson pointed to data from a 2019 survey by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni revealing widespread ignorance of civics among college graduates: 70% misidentified Thomas Jefferson as the Father of the Constitution, 39% incorrectly believed that the president can declare war, and 16% thought former US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was the current Chief Justice.
“Preparing students for civic life should be a cornerstone of university education. I’m heartened that the General Assembly is now considering the REACH Act, which includes some of the Martin Center’s essential recommendations on civics education. I applaud the REACH Act’s inclusion of complete primary documents as well as its well-constructed enforcement mechanisms,” Robinson said.
Some Democrats on the committee voice skepticism on the bill.
“I think we are going down a slippery slope when we add this unnecessary barrier on our students,” said Rep. James Roberson, D-Wake. “Perhaps this would have been fine for the school system, but I think we need to keep in mind what our community colleges do and what they contribute to our local economy. I think this is a bad piece of legislation when it comes to the community college, and I hope that we take the opportunity to rethink this.”