Americans get a failing grade when it comes to basic knowledge of history, economics and government, according to a recent study released by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
The study states 71 percent of 2,500 Americans surveyed failed a basic test on civic literacy. The average score was 49 percent. Surprisingly, elected officials had lower scores than most Americans, with an average of only 44 percent.
According to the study’s results, 43 percent of elected officials do not know what the Electoral College does. In addition, more than twice as many Americans know that Paula Abdul was a judge on American Idol than the phrase “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” is from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.
Americans with college degrees also failed to do well in the survey.
Richard Brake, the ISI’s Director of University Stewardship, said that Americans’ lack of civic knowledge is a detriment to the formation of an informed and responsible citizenship.
“People may be listening to television experts talk about economic bailouts and the platforms of political candidates, but they apparently have little idea what our basic economic and political institutions are,” he said.
The ISI’s National Civic Literacy Board argued that this study demonstrates that a college education plays a minimal role in the advancement of civic literacy. According to the study’s findings, civic knowledge is mostly gained from a combination of engaging in frequent conversations about public affairs, reading about current events, and participating in civic activities, such as working for a political campaign.
The study calls for a reevaluation of college curricula and accountability standards, and advocates that universities assess civic learning of college graduates.
Josiah Bunting, the chairman of the ISI’s National Civic Literacy Board, said that colleges should play a role in curing national civic illiteracy.
“It is disturbing enough that the general public failed ISI’s civic literacy test, but when you consider the even more dismal scores of elected officials, you have to be concerned,” he said. “How can political leaders make informed decisions if they don’t understand the American experience?”
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Jaime_Carini 3 years, 5 months ago
I appreciate that you highlighted the shocking and disheartening phenomenon that in today's society the values we take for granted in America are too often assumed rather than understood.
So, what do we do with this information? Just sit back and accept that this is the way things are? Intercollegiate Studies Institute thinks not. To remedy this lack of cultural knowledge, ISI sponsors student groups on campuses all across the nation, including ours at OU, the Winston Churchill Society. We meet the second and fourth Tuesday of every month to discuss the ideas of liberty and civic literacy. Next semester we will be learning what it means to be a truly educated person so that we can continue to preserve our fundamental freedoms. Contact me for more information at: jlcarini@ou.edu. We're on Facebook under "The Churchill Society."
Regards, Jaime Carini Chancellor, Winston Churchill Society