Are we paying the price for the lack of civics education in the classroom?

[kentuck]

Is there a more gullible population in the world right now, than the present population of America?

It is almost embarrassing how naive and gullible the voters of this nation are at this time.

"Hey, don't let anyone see this....shh....Would you like to buy this watch for only $5 dollars?"

"Keep it hid until I get out of sight, OK?"

" How about a Trump Bible? It will be worth a lot more a year from now...look at it as an investment....it's only $60 dollars".

"You know, Trump is just like you, right?"

He only wants to be a dictator from Day One... whatever it takes to clean up the mess, right?

I guess there are some folks that do want civics taught because they might teach about liberal democracy and that would be a threat to some people, right?

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

1. Gullible population......Propaganda

I suppose another gullible population would be the Russian population, or any dictator controlled country. There are gullible populations in every country really. It's the size of them that varies, but they all fall for some form of propaganda.

on edit: There are lots of other reasons for a gullible populations, such as geography, wealth, and yes most definitely Education

[kentuck]

2. The Russians, by and large, seem to want to be propagandized.

They know they are being lied to and used but they don't care so long as they can enjoy the small comforts of life.

They accept Putin for what he is - a master propagandist.

Many in America appear to want the Russian model.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

6. I think over time, you end up just playing along

and not caring. It helps the dictators when the people are held under the thumb and just comply. So easy to control when you just want some small comforts to make life worth living.

That's why it's hard work keeping Democracy alive once you have it.

[pandr32]

7. Why even have news then?

Can't trust a damn thing.

[MiHale]

3. Civics, logic...classes not offered anymore...

In my grade school days those were taught to everyone.

[maxsolomon]

25. Everyone takes US History & Gubmint in Jr. year.

Everyone heard it - but a lot of people got a C. Or a D+. Or they dropped out.

Now those same people think they're Constitutional Scholars.

[demmiblue]

43. Civics is still a required course in Michigan.

Required for high school graduation:

Social Studies: 3 credits

.5 Civics
.5 Economics
U.S. History and Geography
World History and Geography

[Caliman73]

4. I don't think people are any more gullible than in prior periods...

There are just more and quicker ways to spread misinformation.

Remember that Edward Coughlin (Fr. Coughlin) had an audience of 30 million people, in the 1930's and 1940's through the newer medium of radio. He spread anti-Semitic propaganda widely.

We certainly need to teach critical thinking, proper research, verification of the validity of sources, etc... starting in grade school.

And, yes, there are people in power who do not want those things taught because it refutes and negates the false narratives they need to maintain that power.

[pandr32]

5. Some people can't name the three branches of government.

[Attilatheblond]

8. And some others confuse the Father, Son, Holy Spirit for those 3 branches

Makes me boil how many ignorant people there are.

[pandr32]

11. No wonder many don't understand the separation of Church and State.

[Ferryboat]

20. Asking that very question saved me endless time

If they couldn't answer, why waste time on someone who doesn't know basic civics.

[pandr32]

23. Excellent baseline.

[Abolishinist]

22. Perhaps they're followers of "America's dumbest Senator"?

“Our government wasn’t set up for one group to have all three branches of government — wasn’t set up that way,” Mr. Tuberville said. “You know, the House, the Senate, and the executive.”

[RockRaven]

9. Or perhaps philosophy, ethics, critical thinking...

[republianmushroom]

10. Sure seems like it.

[calimary]

32. Yeah. I'd say so, too.

[Mysterian]

12. We have members of Congress who would look at you with a blank stare

if you asked them to describe a bicameral legislature.

Yes, we are failing to educate our children how our government works.

[H2O Man]

13. Yes.

Recommended.

I absolutely agree. I'll even take it a step further. Up until about two decades ago, many carpenters' and construction unions held classes for new workers. They went through union history, to show that the Democratic Party was the friend of the working class. Since that has stopped, there has been a change in the way workers from those unions vote. This includes in western PA and NYS's Southern Tier. That isn't as significant in NY as it is in PA, where it involves a base of support for the defendant -- who has screwed union workers all of his adult life.

[kentuck]

14. Most of these folks are like the computers they are addicted to...

...they can only give back what is programmed into them.

[H2O Man]

18. Good call.

That is true in the most literal sense. The human brain is a wonderful organic computer. But it can have a virus inserted into its program.

[kentuck]

19. I think we are headed toward the dreaded blue screen...

...just before the final crash.

[Bonx]

15. We're currently paying the price for a lack of education in the classroom

https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/1bdde64/can_we_please_collectively_agree_that_babying/

[kentuck]

16. Perhaps there should be more requirements for a teaching degree?

If the teacher is uneducated, how can they teach their students?

[SWBTATTReg]

27. You're right. These people are paying the price, by getting the lower paid jobs that are still

available to those not educated. In the meantime, those of us w/ degrees, in IT, etc., you name it, are doing, for the most part, just fine.

And these people wonder why aren't they getting the good jobs? Unfortunately for them (and fortunately for us), mouthing off isn't a job occupation. At least in most cases it isn't.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. The district in my area has a required civics class.

[Emile]

21. They would learn we have a Democratic Republic

and that alone would blow the teachings of Rush Limbaugh down the toilet.

[Johnny2X2X]

24. Been going on for generations

Just the lack of knowledge about ou Constitution is alarming. And we've (Society) been letting the misinformation go unchallenged for almost as long.

The lack of knowledge about something as basic as the first amendment is startling. People don't even know that the 1st Amendment came with many many explanations from the epople who actually wrote it. We know for a fact the Founders meant for it to be a wall of separation between church and state because they flat out wrote that. We know for a fact the US wasn't founded on Christianity, because the founders flat out told us that. And not in hard to understand old timy language. But in words like:

"The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." John Adams

"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries. " The author of the 1st amendment, James Madison

""I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." Thomas Jefferson.

These are quotes that need to be decoded, they have to actually be willfully ignored by the Right.

[edisdead]

26. Yes.

That is all.

[Johonny]

28. Its hard to speak for the world

But reading comment sections in local news stories, stock pages, or science articles is depressing. That so many people lack basic economic, scientific or math knowledge scares me. The amount of Jesus says . . . As a response to anything is just depressing. Particularly when you know the Bible mentions zip on the subject anyway.

[lees1975]

29. This has been a gigantic failure of our public education system for a long time now.

Civics education, constitution and govenment, and American History. As a former teacher, I am appalled by what students can get by with in the classroom and not just pass, but earn an A.

It needs to start in Kindergarten and whatever time needs to be carved out of the school day to teach it until students can articulate intelligent comments about it is necessary. Four full high school years of social studies credit, sticking with US constitution, US Geography and American History, and can't graduate from high school or legally drop out until its mastered.

[mike_c]

30. I read a lot of history-- it has always been pretty much as it is today

We all like to think the times we live in are different from the past, but honestly, western politics has always been as dysfunctional as it is today. Only the specifics change, but the craziness remains a common thread. Maybe with better education more people might pay better attention, but many of the people who gravitate into political careers have always been a bit unbalanced, self serving, and dishonest. Politics too often gives voice to some of our worst characteristics. We fight the same battles over and over again.

[keep_left]

31. In a word, yes. Starting in the '80s, civics classes began to be removed...

...from the high school curriculum. I was lucky enough (in the late '80s) to have an actual year-long civics course; it even included a history of the US labor movement. The course also covered things like jury duty, trials, etc. The implication for any student was that a democratic system of government confers rights but also responsibilities.

For whatever reason, civics education started to disappear not long afterward. I never heard a good explanation of why this happened, but it has certainly had at least some deleterious effect on the country.

Here is an example of the intellectual climate seen in high schools in 1948...compare that with today!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017842811
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017842811#post8

[Stinky The Clown]

33. +1

[NanaCat]

45. No, it didn't disappear.

Have you even looked into the matter, or have you simply believed the bunk that someone else told you?

Thirty states require at least a semester of standalone civics courses; eight states and Washington, DC, require a full-year course. Hawaii requires 1.5 credits. The 11 states that have no civics requirements are Alaska, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Less than half (40 percent) of states require students to take a civics exam as a graduation requirement. Indiana and Nevada added this requirement in 2018. Kentucky includes the requirement but does not mandate a civics course. It is the only state the requires the exam without requiring a class on the subject.

Two out of three states address media literacy in their civics curriculum.

Only Washington, DC, and Maryland require community service for students to graduate. Twenty-three states give academic credit for community service.

https://www.slj.com/story/a-look-at-civics-education-state-by-state

I don't know who started this rot about no civics education, but it is not true, and hasn't been true.

I'm not saying civics education is perfect, never mind adequate, but it is far from non-existent if the vast majority of states teach it.

Sometimes, it's appalling to see liberals believing just as much bunkum as MAGAts without verifying claims made. It's especially sad to see it when people have access to information at lightning speed, in most cases. It's called the internet, and it took all of 5 seconds for me to learn the facts about civics education in the US.

[keep_left]

46. Well, it disappeared from many schools in the Midwest in the '80s. Civics also got redefined...

...in some schools, so that subjects like American history or "current events" were considered "civics", whereas the civics course I had in high school (late '80s) was a year long and even had a dedicated textbook. Civics disappeared at my high school shortly after that, and then all through the whole school system.

If civics education really is making a comeback, that's a great thing, especially if it isn't being redefined as I just described. By the way, it isn't just liberals who have decried the state of civics education; it's one of the few items that I find myself in agreement with when I read the opinions of conservatives. In fact, it was those on the right who first made me aware of the problem. And in this case, I think they are making a good-faith argument.

[NickB79]

34. I still had civics class in 9th grade, around 1995

Amazing teacher, old Korean vet, truly loved this country and it showed. I really enjoyed his class.

I'm depressed to hear most students these days don't get taught such basic concepts as how our government works.

[Rebl2]

42. Glad your

school district saw the importance of civic classes. I was in jr. high in the sixties and we had civics classes. We had to pass a state and federal constitution test.

[DBoon]

35. 40 years of being told government is the problem

that all politicians are the same and they all lie has taken its toll.

People who are cynical and disinterested in politics will not oppose an authoritarian government.

[shrike3]

36. Yes. People have no idea how government works.

And I'm including liberal people I know among that group.

[TheKentuckian]

37. Many to most seemingly have little to no idea how ANY systems work.

It really little difference what the subject matter is.

[Hekate]

38. KnR

[berniesandersmittens]

39. Absolutely

Next time you get in a political conversation ask them who their JP or State Rep is.

In general people are clueless to governmental structure.

K & R

[Rebl2]

41. Short answer, yes

[NanaCat]

44. Civics is taught

Why do you think it isn't?

Thirty states require at least a semester of standalone civics courses; eight states and Washington, DC, require a full-year course. Hawaii requires 1.5 credits. The 11 states that have no civics requirements are Alaska, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Less than half (40 percent) of states require students to take a civics exam as a graduation requirement. Indiana and Nevada added this requirement in 2018. Kentucky includes the requirement but does not mandate a civics course. It is the only state the requires the exam without requiring a class on the subject.

Two out of three states address media literacy in their civics curriculum.

Only Washington, DC, and Maryland require community service for students to graduate. Twenty-three states give academic credit for community service.

https://www.slj.com/story/a-look-at-civics-education-state-by-state

Is a semester enough time to teach an acceptable level of civics understanding? Not remotely, although it's better than nothing.

Could the civics curriculum be more rigorous? Absolutely.

But to say it isn't taught at all is not the reality.

[ThoughtCriminal]

47. It's the people who never studied

never did their homework, ridiculed the "Nerds" who cared about their classwork and grades.

They hated school, hated teachers, hated other students that did the work.

These seem to be the base of the GOP cult. Trump is their revenge on the uppity know-it-alls.