Arizona students must pass US citizenship test on civics

Started by garbon, January 16, 2015, 11:09:30 AM

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KRonn

One of my favorite courses in high school was on the government, civics, how things work in the three main branches of federal govt, state govt, the courts, etc. It at least gave some instruction so kids had a basis to go on to understand how things work in government. I think it's a good idea, though I don't recall if it was a required course or not.

garbon

Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 16, 2015, 11:49:28 AM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:24:18 AM
Quote from: Martinus on January 16, 2015, 11:21:12 AM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:19:48 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 16, 2015, 11:17:37 AM
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. :D

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! :blink:

Okay, I exaggerated. In 8th grade, I had half a year of bio. After that though, I stuck exclusively to chemistry and physics. I had no desire to participate in dissections.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

garbon

Quote from: KRonn on January 16, 2015, 11:53:45 AM
One of my favorite courses in high school was on the government, civics, how things work in the three main branches of federal govt, state govt, the courts, etc. It at least gave some instruction so kids had a basis to go on to understand how things work in government. I think it's a good idea, though I don't recall if it was a required course or not.

From what I recall, we touched upon those things in Social Studies classes (which I guess were civics + history) but there was no citizenship examination afterward. :D
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Syt

Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:26:40 AM
Agreed but that doesn't seem related to this required civics course. :P

I was inspired by this article quote: "if our students don't understand that we have fundamental rights given to us, afforded to us by our Constitution"

I don't find fault with the idea of educating students in this, but that if you take that angle, I don't think it's going far enough in life preparation.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

The Brain

Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 12:07:44 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on January 16, 2015, 11:49:28 AM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:24:18 AM
Quote from: Martinus on January 16, 2015, 11:21:12 AM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:19:48 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 16, 2015, 11:17:37 AM
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. :D

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! :blink:

Okay, I exaggerated. In 8th grade, I had half a year of bio. After that though, I stuck exclusively to chemistry and physics. I had no desire to participate in dissections.

What kind of limp-wristed faggot doesn't like dissections? Oh right.
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

garbon

Quote from: Syt on January 16, 2015, 12:09:43 PM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 11:26:40 AM
Agreed but that doesn't seem related to this required civics course. :P

I was inspired by this article quote: "if our students don't understand that we have fundamental rights given to us, afforded to us by our Constitution"

I don't find fault with the idea of educating students in this, but that if you take that angle, I don't think it's going far enough in life preparation.

I don't have an issue with students knowing that either (like I said it was generally part of social studies class) but I do question the need to make it a whole class period + citizenship test that you must pass to graduate. But hey, I'm just someone posting on the internet. I'm sure the Arizona legislature is very well informed on what their students need. :D

Thing for me about your comment is that I don't really think life preparation is the point. Here's a link to what a civics class covers. That's a bit different from the sort of class you are talking about.

http://nieonline.com/detroit/downloads/supplements/civics_flip_book.pdf
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Syt

Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 12:17:46 PM
I do question the need to make it a whole class period + citizenship test that you must pass to graduate

I agree on that. In other states I might be more willing to give the beneift of the doubt, but I read it mostly as Arizona being Arizona about ZOMG immigrants who don't know what it means to be a good red-blooded American.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Admiral Yi

Quote from: Syt on January 16, 2015, 12:29:06 PM
I agree on that. In other states I might be more willing to give the beneift of the doubt, but I read it mostly as Arizona being Arizona about ZOMG immigrants who don't know what it means to be a good red-blooded American.

Except that presumably the ZOMG immigrants are being taught the answers to the test in the same class the red bloods are.

Syt

Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 16, 2015, 12:30:55 PM
Quote from: Syt on January 16, 2015, 12:29:06 PM
I agree on that. In other states I might be more willing to give the beneift of the doubt, but I read it mostly as Arizona being Arizona about ZOMG immigrants who don't know what it means to be a good red-blooded American.

Except that presumably the ZOMG immigrants are being taught the answers to the test in the same class the red bloods are.

But it's to ensure that ZOMG immigrants are taught them in the first place, to make sure the evil indoctrination by their ZOMG immigrant community is countered.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

KRonn

Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 12:08:46 PM
Quote from: KRonn on January 16, 2015, 11:53:45 AM
One of my favorite courses in high school was on the government, civics, how things work in the three main branches of federal govt, state govt, the courts, etc. It at least gave some instruction so kids had a basis to go on to understand how things work in government. I think it's a good idea, though I don't recall if it was a required course or not.

From what I recall, we touched upon those things in Social Studies classes (which I guess were civics + history) but there was no citizenship examination afterward. :D
The citizen test does seem a bit unnecessary if kids are getting educated on this in school already. The article didn't really say if this stuff is taught or required learning. If state education officials feel the  kids aren't getting the info then I don't find it a big deal to teach and test on it. What I don't like is if this become some kind of jingoism or something to test on it. I'd rather see the state education dept make some requirements or standards to teach it, if it's lacking in schools now.

Martinus

To be honest I don't have any beef whatsoever with an idea that every citizen of a certain educational degree (i.e. high school) should take the citizenship at least once. It's much better than just having foreigners take it, while having the domestic populace who can't take it.

Martinus

Quote from: Syt on January 16, 2015, 12:29:06 PM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 12:17:46 PM
I do question the need to make it a whole class period + citizenship test that you must pass to graduate

I agree on that. In other states I might be more willing to give the beneift of the doubt, but I read it mostly as Arizona being Arizona about ZOMG immigrants who don't know what it means to be a good red-blooded American.

This looks like bias.

garbon

Quote from: Martinus on January 16, 2015, 12:52:42 PM
Quote from: Syt on January 16, 2015, 12:29:06 PM
Quote from: garbon on January 16, 2015, 12:17:46 PM
I do question the need to make it a whole class period + citizenship test that you must pass to graduate

I agree on that. In other states I might be more willing to give the beneift of the doubt, but I read it mostly as Arizona being Arizona about ZOMG immigrants who don't know what it means to be a good red-blooded American.

This looks like bias.

Look at Arizona's track record. Why shouldn't someone be biased? :P
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Martinus

But this kind of knee-jerk dumb reaction of that triggers when one sees "Arizona" and "citizenship" in the same place is what gives liberals a bad name.

Most likely this is the only reason why someone thought it is news in the first place.

grumbler

The citizenship test is completely bogus.  It tests things that no one will ever need or use, but which are easy to test, like what year the Constitution was written, how many house members there are, or which amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.  It's a mere trivia contest.  Republicans legislators love it, though, because they can do well on pass/fail memorization tests, unlike essay tests that require demonstrating some understanding of a subject.
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!