Opinion
Civics education extends beyond schools
Let’s double down on the semiquincentennial. Let’s have more concerts and parades, yes, as well as more publications, readings, public lectures, and private conversations.
News
Survey: Almost half of Americans miss the meaning of Memorial Day
A new study reveals that fewer than half of Americans know the reason we celebrate Memorial Day.
News
Martin Center: Most states don’t require civics in college
The report found that only a handful of states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, require undergraduates to complete at least one civics or American government course.
Opinion
Fiction can be a teaching tool
“It is a delight!” That’s what a recent reviewer said about my novel Mountain Folk, which she called an “entertaining and instructive” blend of American history, folklore, and fantasy. “As a long-time teacher of middle school and high school students,” she wrote, “I think Mountain Folk would be a great addition to school reading lists.”...
Opinion
The importance of education in humanities
The United States education system is failing in almost every aspect, but nowhere is this seen more than in the humanities. In a recent poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, it was found that 44% of adults failed to name all three branches of government. Of these adults surveyed, 25% could not name even...
Opinion
Patriotism requires a common story
Is a picture really worth a thousand words? In very online debates among very online people, the exchange rate is even more skewed. Case in point: a recent Wall Street Journal illustration generated tens of thousands of words of argument, invective, and speculation. The image in question depicted a dramatic drop in the share of...
Opinion
What the N.C. social studies curriculum should look like
Like much of the nation, North Carolina has a civics and history crisis. Yet, it may be even worse than thought in North Carolina after a Fordham Institute study gave the state a “D-” grade for civics and an “F” for history. Even more troubling for many educators and curriculum designers across the state is...
Opinion
State blows it on history
North Carolina has the worst history and civics standards in the Southeast. Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, and Mississippi all got “exemplary” or “good” ratings.
Opinion
Radical changes coming to North Carolina’s social studies standards
In February, the N.C. State Board of Education is expected to approve new academic standards for all public school social studies courses. The new standards represent an extreme departure from those approved in the past, and parents may begin to notice changes in their child’s social studies lessons as early as the next school year. The current review of...
Opinion
Strongest argument for school choice expansion is collapse of civics, not COVID
If parents want to send their child or children to a school that will champion and not scoff at America’s founding principles, there is no legitimate reason a bureaucratic system should halt it.
Opinion
Training the Next Batch of Low-Information Voters
New test results demonstrate that eighth-graders know little about history, geography, or civics.
Opinion
Civic Education Gets the Vote
Career readiness is important, but so is preparing for this reality — our next generation of workers is also our next generation of voters.
