Arizona students must pass US citizenship test on civics

[garbon]

http://news.yahoo.com/arizona-passes-law-requiring-students-pass-civics-test-064318163.html

Arizona high school students face the nation's first requirement to pass the U.S. citizenship test on civics before they can graduate thanks to legislation that sailed through the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Lawmakers approved the bill amid a growing nationwide effort to boost civics education, and newly elected Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed it into law Thursday evening.

The swift action comes as states around the country take up similar measures, driven primarily by a conservative institute whose motto is "Patriotism Matters." The leader of the organization is former California U.S. Rep. Frank Riggs, who came in last in Arizona's Republican primary for governor after running a hard-right campaign focused on immigration and rhetoric against President Barack Obama.

The Arizona-based Joe Foss Institute has set a goal of having all 50 states adopt the requirement by 2017, the 230th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. The institute says legislatures in 15 states are expected to consider it this year. The North Dakota House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the same measure Thursday, but Arizona's proposal was the first to pass a full Legislature.

The Foss Institute promotes the test to state legislatures as a way to increase knowledge of basic government by students.

The proposal requires high school students to correctly answer 60 of 100 questions on the civics portion of the test new citizens must pass. The test includes questions about the Founding Fathers, the Bill of Rights and U.S. presidents. Passing it would be required to earn a high school or GED diploma starting in the 2016-17 school year.

The bill garnered support from all 53 Republicans in the House and Senate, plus 10 of 27 Democrats.

But opponents questioned whether the test, which relies on memorization, is the best way to engage students in civics education. And they also wonder what message it sends when the bill was the first order of business at a time when Arizona is facing a large deficit and a court order to repay schools for funding that lawmakers cut during the recession, which approaches $3 billion.

"In the midst of a budget crisis, after we purposely underfunded our public schools, we rush this piece of legislation through in the first week even before we've addressed the investment the courts have ordered us to (pay) to our public schools," Rep. Juan Mendez said, explaining his opposition.

Republican House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro cited a federal study that said two-thirds of students measured below proficiency in civics.

"So this is alarming, because ... if our students don't understand that we have fundamental rights given to us, afforded to us by our Constitution, things like freedom of the press, like conversation, like assembly, like religion, like speech, can that be good?" he said.

Ducey called on the Legislature to make the civics test the first bill to hit his desk as governor. He said studies show that students don't know enough about basic government to grow into effective citizens.

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, an Arizona native, has supported the initiative. She's made civics education a prime focus in recent years.

A high school government teacher, Joe Thomas of Mesa, said he was concerned that the 100-question test would take up an entire class period and requires rote memorization rather than critical thinking.

"The interest is promoting civics, and we want to see students engaged," Thomas said. "I don't know if a test engages students."

[Martinus]

garbo, is this meant to be in some way controversial, or is this just posted "FYI" (presumably for Arizona high schoolers)?

Because in Polish high schools we have "civics education" class and while it is considered one of the easiest (it is usually taught by teacher retirees and involves stuff like memorising how many MPs there are), I suppose if you fail it, you won't graduate, either.

[Admiral Yi]

Monstrous?

[Martinus]

Monstrous?

[garbon]

Monstrous?

No, not monstrous. I am wondering what's the point of making this a school requirement though. Seems not particularly useful / I'm always skeptical of mandatory school testing - particularly when for something like this.

Of course, I'm also always skeptical of anything mentioning patriotism and Arizona.

[Martinus]

Next thing we know, they will want high school graduates to pass a test on the knowledge of languages, literature or mathematics. 

[Martinus]

Monstrous?

No, not monstrous. I am wondering what's the point of making this a school requirement though. Seems not particularly useful / I'm always skeptical of mandatory school testing - particularly when for something like this.

Of course, I'm also always skeptical of anything mentioning patriotism and Arizona.

Well, as things go, this knowledge is probably more useful to an average high school graduate than understanding the gastric system of an amoeba.

[garbon]

Monstrous?

No, not monstrous. I am wondering what's the point of making this a school requirement though. Seems not particularly useful / I'm always skeptical of mandatory school testing - particularly when for something like this.

Of course, I'm also always skeptical of anything mentioning patriotism and Arizona.

Well, as things go, this knowledge is probably more useful to an average high school graduate than understanding the gastric system of an amoeba.

I can't speak to that. I never took biology in high school.

[Syt]

There was a (minor) discussion on education in Germany - a girl about to finish school tweeted that while she could analyze poems in 4 language she had no idea how to rent an apartment, how the tax system works or what insurances would be useful.

Usually this is something that's taught by parents/family/friends, but I would agree that covering some of "life out there" at school would be a good idea, esp. as there might be a generation gap between how parents learned something and how things have change.

[The Brain]

Parents take the time to curl and hover, but don't teach basic life skills? Shocker.

[garbon]

There was a (minor) discussion on education in Germany - a girl about to finish school tweeted that while she could analyze poems in 4 language she had no idea how to rent an apartment, how the tax system works or what insurances would be useful.

Usually this is something that's taught by parents/family/friends, but I would agree that covering some of "life out there" at school would be a good idea, esp. as there might be a generation gap between how parents learned something and how things have change.

Agreed but that doesn't seem related to this required civics course.

[Martinus]

There was a (minor) discussion on education in Germany - a girl about to finish school tweeted that while she could analyze poems in 4 language she had no idea how to rent an apartment, how the tax system works or what insurances would be useful.

Usually this is something that's taught by parents/family/friends, but I would agree that covering some of "life out there" at school would be a good idea, esp. as there might be a generation gap between how parents learned something and how things have change.

Apparently in Poland they started (or plan to start - I am not really closely following education in Poland) something like this for high schoolers. They would teach you how to fill in a tax return, how to start a small business, and the works. That is a part of the civics class curriculum (which is called "society knowledge").

[Admiral Yi]

How many Poles does it take to fill in a tax return?

[The Brain]

Don't answer that, Mart.

[jimmy olsen]

Monstrous?

No, not monstrous. I am wondering what's the point of making this a school requirement though. Seems not particularly useful / I'm always skeptical of mandatory school testing - particularly when for something like this.

Of course, I'm also always skeptical of anything mentioning patriotism and Arizona.

Well, as things go, this knowledge is probably more useful to an average high school graduate than understanding the gastric system of an amoeba.

I can't speak to that. I never took biology in high school.

Seriously!