Certain dates stand out, such as February 14, October 31, and December 25. But what about September 17? It should also be a highlight, but it isn’t. In fact, most of us don’t think twice about the date; we certainly should, though. That’s because it’s not just another day; It’s Constitution Day, set aside by Congress in 1952 to encourage civic engagement.
To institutionalize the day, in 2005, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia sponsored legislation that would mandate recognition of Constitution Day in all schools and colleges receiving federal funds. Unfortunately, six years later, Congress cut funding for civic education and that, says education weekRoss Brenneman of Ross Brenneman sent the message that civic education is important, but not worth federal dollars.
And so it goes on.
As a people, we are very uniform about American history and the workings of our government. In fact, many are not even sure who our current leaders are, with one exception. It’s not surprising that Obama enjoys big-name recognition, since he’s been president for nearly six years and frequently tours the country campaigning and fundraising. Also, the nickname of our new health program is named after him.
But what about second-in-command Joe Biden?
That’s exactly what late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel recently asked some folks on Hollywood Boulevard. A girl suggests that she could be a man; some others said they had seen it in movies. Another identified him as a Republican running for president, while a couple more seem to think he’s governor. He went downhill from there.
Then, The Huffington Post responded with the headline: “Jimmy Kimmel Hilariously Proves Americans Don’t Know Who Joe Biden Is.” Ridiculous and embarrassing, too. Meanwhile, a 2010 Pew Research Center found that only 59% of us know he is the vice president, a failing grade if ever there was one.
As for the Constitution, in September, the Annenberg Public Policy Center asked 1,416 adults questions about the government. The result:
- 36% were able to name the three branches of government; 27% could not name any.
- 27% knew that a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate is needed to override a presidential veto.
- 21% incorrectly thought that a 5-4 Supreme Court decision goes back to Congress for reconsideration.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A look at the civic test of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress suggests that our children are also clueless, constitutionally and governmentally speaking. Here you have:
- 27% of 4th graders scored at or above proficient;
- 22% of 8th graders scored at the proficient level or better;
- 24% of 12th graders scored at or above proficient.
Sandra Day O’Connor, a retired US Supreme Court Justice, explains: “Knowledge of our system of government is not passed down through the gene pool. Habits of citizenship must be learned… But we have neglected to civics education over the last few decades, and the results are predictably dismal.
That sentiment is echoed by Robert Pendiscio of Citizen First, who says, “We send children to school not just to become employees and entrepreneurs, but citizens capable of wise and effective self-governance in our democracy. The public dimension of education was a fundamental principle of American education. We have almost forgotten it in the age of educational revision.”
That’s also why Justice O’Connor founded iCivics.org. Its purpose: “To reinvigorate civic learning through interactive and engaging learning resources. Our educational resources empower teachers and prepare the next generation of students to become informed and engaged citizens.”
Meanwhile, in 2013, the Civic Education Initiative was formed with the support of Judge O’Connor, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and even actor Joe Mantegna. Its mission is to get all 50 states to require their high school students to take and pass the 100-question US Naturalization Test. And they are starting to gain some ground.
So far, seven states are considering legislation that, while not required, would reward students for taking the test. As it stands, those who score at least 60% would see a yet-to-be-determined increase in their grade point averages. Those states are:
- Arizona
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Vermont
FYI: 91% of those seeking citizenship pass the exam. Here are some sample questions to test your own civics knowledge:
- What is the supreme law of the land?
- The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
- What do we call the first ten reforms to the Constitution?
- What is it a First Amendment right or freedom?
- How many amendments does the Constitution have?
- What stops a branch of government from becoming too powerful?
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- How many US senators are there?
- We elect a United States Senator for how many years?
- How many voting members does the House of Representatives have?
- We elect a United States representative for how many years?
To check your answers, go to the Naturalization Test on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website, and then take a better one. Get yourself a copy of the Constitution; you can pick one up at your local bookstore or head to Amazon or Barnes & Nobel online. Then read, learn, and talk with your kids, friends, and neighbors, too.