The Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania now requires that
students take a United
States history, government and civics test,
after the passage of a bill by the Republican-majority General Assembly and its
signing into law by the Governor.
The test is similar to the rigorous
federal naturalization test. Students
from Grades 7-12 will be required to take the test annually, but are not
required to pass it in order to graduate.
Those who receive a perfect score will receive a certification. Teachers will have flexibility on the
administration of the exam. Schools will
be required to report how many students have passed the test.
Surveys have repeatedly shown an
especially disturbing lack of basic knowledge of civics by both American students
and even adults who are no longer students, and a less than adequate knowledge of
U.S.
history. The problem has been exacerbated
by the curriculum focus on English, mathematics and science, even though the
purpose of obligatory education and public education is better citizenship and
a more informed electorate. In response,
there has been a movement across the Union over
the last few years to require civics tests for high school graduation, which I
posted about in January of 2015, in The Movement Across the United States to
Require Passage of a Civics Test to Earn a High School or Equivalent Diploma, https://williamcinfici.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-movement-across-united-states-to.html.
I would add that state and local
history and civics are also necessary and even more lacking, but Pennsylvania ’s new
requirement is progress toward eradicating ignorance among the Commonwealth’s
citizens, including its voters.
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