Freedom & Ign’nrce
“About 92 percent of the people who take the citizenship test pass on their first try, according to [U.S.] immigration service data. However, Oklahoma students did not fare as well. Only about 3 percent of the students surveyed would have passed the citizenship test.
“[Conservative thinktank Strategic Visions’ Brandon] Dutcher said this is not just a problem in Oklahoma. He said Arizona had similar results, which left him concerned for the entire country.
“‘Jefferson later said that a nation can’t expect to be ignorant and free,’ Dutcher said. ‘It points to a real serious problem. We’re not going to remain ignorant and free.’”
—News9 report, “75 Percent of Oklahoma High School Students Can’t Name the First President of the U.S.,” Oklahoma City 9/1/09 (Click here for story and links.)
Editor’s Note: Wait! Joe Washburn, right?
The TEST
Of 1,000 Oklahoma high school kids, only six could answer only four or more questions correctly; 46 (4.6%) couldn’t answer any.
TAKE THE TEST (1,000 Oklahoma high school kids’ correct answers in parentheses):
• What is the supreme law of the land? (28%)
• What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? (26%)
• What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? (27%)
• How many justices are there on the Supreme Court? (10%)
• Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (14%)
• What ocean is on the east coast of the United States? (61% yay!)
• What are the two major political parties in the United States? (43%)
• We elect a U.S. senator for how many years? (11%)
• Who was the first president of the United States? (23%)
• Who is in charge of the executive branch? (29%)
See the answers.
.
Ya Hoo!! I got 100%--and my extended family says I'm unpatriotic!
ReplyDeleteMy son came home from high school the other day with the assignment of memorizing all US Presidents and dates served. I wonder if a more nuanced discussion of relevant topics in an international context would make the experience more meaningful. A "period piece" if you will, with stories rather than strictly numbers and names.
Well, the people trying for citizenship have some real incentive to learn U.S. History, unlike the students in Oklahoma (even though their football team can beat Uzbekistan in a heartbeat). So here’s the solution, similar in some ways to the citizenship thing: Students must take a test about U.S. History, and if they don’t pass, they automatically become citizens of Sri Lanka and are sent there on the next plane.
ReplyDeleteJS
I wish they gave this test all over the country. That might stop some of the anti-immigrant talk.
ReplyDeleteI am so naïve.
Cheers,
Betty
the only thing between the average oklahoman's ears is rodeo. a decent education costs a lot of money, an absolute shame in a country of our supposed stature; we'll bankrupt it with medical care for every useless idiot instead of spending properly on education to prevent that idiocy.
ReplyDeleteI can see people getting the first question wrong. It seems that major parts of the Executive and Legislative branch, alas even the judicial branch, wouldn't know the Constitution if it hit them in the face.
ReplyDelete