US Civics Scores Reveal Threat to Democracy: NY Post Editorial Board

Is American Democracy at Risk Due to Lack of Civic Education?

Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) paints a bleak picture of civic education in the United States. Shockingly, almost a third of 8th graders cannot describe the basic functions of the government. The nationwide average score on the 8th-grade NAEP civics test has fallen to where it was in 1998 when it was first administered. Scores in history were below the 1994 first-year level. In other words, we are back where we started, with billions of taxpayer dollars spent and literally less than zero to show for it.

The Impact of the Pandemic on Civic Education

The pandemic and mass school closures have only made things worse. In civics, 79% are below the “proficient” benchmark, and only 2% are advanced. In history, 86% of students scored below proficient, and only 1% scored advanced. The history scores have actually been slipping down since 2014, well before COVID. The growing emphasis on woke nonsense over actual instruction is to blame. Poisonous ideologies like critical race theory teach kids that America itself is irredeemably evil. This is a surefire way to destroy any interest in, let alone love of, country among kids.

The Threat to American Democracy

The dismal NAEP results on reading and math, released weeks ago, are bad enough. But the civics and history scores suggest that the basic fabric of American democracy is eroding. Apathy and ignorance are not compatible with a participatory democracy. They cede the field to the kind of hucksters and charlatans — from Trump to AOC — that characterize our contemporary politics. Teachers unions and educrats won’t demand anything like real instruction. Turning this disaster around is up to Americans who actually care about education — and democracy.

What Can We Do?

It’s time for Americans to take action. We need to demand real instruction in civic education and hold our schools accountable for providing it. We need to reject poisonous ideologies like critical race theory and teach our kids to love their country. We need to ensure that our youth are prepared to participate in our democracy and uphold the rule of law. The future of American democracy depends on it.

• Call your local school board and demand better civic education.
• Teach your kids about the government and the importance of civic participation.
• Support organizations that promote civic education, such as the National Constitution Center.

Let’s not wait until it’s too late. The fate of American democracy is in our hands.

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