EDITORIAL: More disturbing news from the nation’s report card

Those well-steeped in our country's history long back discovered the motivating story of how President George Washington provided his stirring Gettysburg Address, a four-hour oration, in an effort to revive hope amongst Americans having a hard time throughout the Great Anxiety of the 1920s.

Or possibly not.

On Wednesday, the National Assessment of Educational Progress - - the nation's" - progress report" - launched the outcomes of standardized tests provided last year to eighth graders across the country on civics and history. If you look for to prevent depressing news, turn away.

Just 13 percent of students fulfilled proficiency standards in history, suggesting "they could explain major themes, periods, events, individuals, ideas and turning points in the country's history," according to The Wall Street Journal. About 20 percent reached proficiency in civics.

Simply put, only a small percentage of American kids poised to get in high school most likely would have the ability to determine more than two mistakes in this essay's lead sentence, if they could recognize any of the obvious mistakes at all.

Ball games were the most unpleasant on record for a test that has been in presence for years. In reality, trainees scored worse on these 2 topics than in any other areas, consisting of reading and math. "These information are a national issue," Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, told reporters. "The health of our democracy depends upon notified and engaged citizens."

Numerous interests pointed fingers in an effort to place blame for this dismal development. The pandemic was an apparent perpetrator, and no doubt didn't assist. James Grossman of the American Historical Society cited "the falling quality of history and civics lessons taught in American schools, which has been fueled by political acrimony," the Journal reported.

Fair enough. However acrimonious battles over curricula involving politically controversial issues such as race are worthless to kids when they lack the standard realities upon which to develop a foundation that supports critical thinking and leads to the evaluation of more complex - - and even contentious - subject. The great failure of this nation's public school system is that students aren't finding out even elementary skills when it pertains to reading and mathematics and even the simplest of realities in regards to history and civics.

The present push to make sure trainees are exposed to a more total and robust view of this nation's history - - warts and all - is sensible and rewarding. It makes little sense if kids don't very first develop a grasp of the principles before moving on to more tough subject matter.