The National Security Risk at our Door
We have a national security risk going nearly unnoticed. It doesn’t draw widespread attention on the evening news or social media. It’s not displayed on an emergency phone alert, debated in the halls of Congress, or one for which the military is training to combat. Most don’t know about it, few choose to acknowledge it, and even fewer seek to address the problem. Yet, it’s a clear and present danger to our constitutional republic.
The threat facing America is this: The overwhelming majority of high school graduates do not understand, comprehend, or appreciate civics or U.S. history. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) shows only 22 percent of eighth-graders are proficient in civics while a measly 13 percent are proficient in U.S. history. The consequences of these data are severe. (READ MORE: Philistines à la Mode)
Absent knowledge of the people, places, and papers that shaped our union, how will they prevent and solve complex challenges from foreign and domestic threats as adults? Without a basic knowledge of civics, how will they engage with and contribute to a free society?
Diluting Civics Education Betrays the Founding Fathers
The Founding Fathers viewed history and civics as key to education. They believed both were critical to individual success and sustainability for the republic. For example, George Washington desired education in the “science of government” for the “future guardians of the liberties of the country.” Further, he asked, “What species of knowledge can be equally important?”
America isn’t meeting the expectations set forth by her first president. Unfortunately, as time passed and America moved into the 20th century, history and civics were diluted under the broader umbrella of “social studies” — an amalgamation of disciplines. Academics and social scientists began injecting inquiry-based learning, student-directed history, or action civics into lessons. With these approaches, factual knowledge declined as history and civics were replaced with themes like culture and identity. In an attempt to teach social studies, civics, and history became opportunity costs. Thus, we have a national security risk of alarming proportions. (READ MORE: Oklahoma School Districts Must Teach Scripture. Is That a Good Thing?)
Sans a background in U.S. history, students’ awareness of the United States’ role in the world will suffer. For example, an inadequate understanding could lead students to the false conclusion that liberty exists without hardship or sacrifice. Furthermore, with the rise of artificial intelligence and rampant misinformation, citizens must know the history of their country and understand the mechanisms that govern it — or risk falling prey to nefarious actors. The decline leaves citizens vulnerable to adversaries seeking to sow division and undermine our nation’s future.
For the safety and security of our country, citizens must know the basic tenets of civics and U.S. history. American students are as capable as any across the globe, but they must be taught effectively.
We need a new approach.
The Republic Must Endure
This unsettling trajectory can and should be flipped at the state level. Louisiana answered the call by establishing a new direction for its students. We developed a Freedom Framework to meet the moment. It consists of rigorous academic standards, teacher preparation through collaboration, and accountability for learning. Paramount to our approach is the utilization of primary source documents, seeking to reduce teacher bias and scaffolding background knowledge.
Under Louisiana’s Freedom Framework, the totality of events shaping America into an incomparable nation on a quest for a more perfect union is explored. After their high school experience, students are asked to explain and evaluate the concept of American exceptionalism.
The quest for freedom is the hallmark of the American spirit, the American story. From the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the journey towards freedom has been one of struggle and sacrifice.
We must and we shall teach students the fragility of liberty. We must and we shall teach students the majesty of our country and their obligations as citizens to safeguard the Republic. We must and we shall teach students the triumphs of our nation and the immense magnitude of sacrifices of those who came before us. Through intentional instruction, learners may appreciate the words of Ronald Reagan when he expressed, “Freedom is one of the noblest and deepest aspirations of the human spirit.” (READ MORE: Oklahoma Public Schools to Include the Bible in Curriculum)
America is worthy of our best efforts. As a country, let us join together and overcome the national security risk at our door. Let us be resolved to accept the challenge and invest in effectively teaching the rich history of the United States and the civics that underpin its government. The Republic must endure.
Dr. Cade Brumley is Louisiana’s State Superintendent of Education. He also serves as a member of Louisiana’s America 250 Commission.
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