The Need For Enhanced Civics Education In Florida

The Need For Enhanced Civics Education In Florida

Bottom Line: On Tuesday Governor DeSantis signed a trifecta of civics related bills into law. Two of which are squarely aimed at improving civics education in Florida. While some have cast shade on the need for a civics curriculum in Florida, and a civics assessment test in high school, the facts tell a different story. As I’ll often say...there are two sides to stories and one side to facts. And the fact is, it’s desperately needed. In case you need a refresher...Consider this.

Only one in three Americans (36 percent) can actually pass a multiple-choice test consisting of items taken from the U.S. Citizenship Test, which has a passing score of 60, according to a national survey released by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. An informed and engaged citizenry is essential,” Woodrow Wilson Foundation President Arthur Levine said. “Unfortunately, this study found the average American to be woefully uninformed regarding America’s history and incapable of passing the U.S. Citizenship Test. It would be an error to view these findings as merely an embarrassment. Knowledge of the history of our country is fundamental to maintaining a democratic society, which is imperiled today.”

This is an indictment of the education system pure and simple. How effective is our education system if only 36% of adults could pass a citizenship test, which only requires you answering 60% of the questions correctly? That’s abject failure. Yesterday a listener brought up a good point. We need to start with the teachers. If only 36% of Americans can answereven60% of basic civics questions – clearly, it’s not being taught but what about the teachers themselves? How many of them were taught? I’m grateful for Florida mandating civics education as part of the curriculum going forward. There’s a lot of work to do. But what about the rest of the country? And how competent are our teachers? This should be a priority everywhere. Once again Florida is leading the way. #MakeAmericaFlorida