bayman Loc: New Jersey

Several months ago I took an on-line test which was a stripped down version of the test candidates for naturalization take in order to receive citizenship. I am embarrassed to say I only got an 88; that is until I asked others to take the same test. The others included several recent college/university graduates. All were products of US public education. I didn't ask for scores but they were
bravely volunteered. One got higher; the rest didn't. This led me to deduce that the average naturalized US citizen is more knowledgeable of our government than a natural born citizen educated by our public school system. I've been kicking around this planet for better than seven decades and did take Civics courses. I feel I should gotten a better score. In my defense I didn't know the names of all nine Supreme Court justices but I did know that Joe Biden is our current Vice President -- only one of the others did --and that Washington DC is NOT located in the middle of the country. In my opinion, this same test should be
administered to every high school senior and a passing grade is necessary before a diploma is granted.
Am I alone in this?

Yankee Clipper

Cedarstrip Loc: Michigan

For the long term subversion of a society education is where it begins. American education started changing after WW II. Some teaching method changes were introduced in the '60s; new math, etc. The changes accelerated a little later, roughly coinciding with the creation of the Department of Education. Student academic achievement has declined ever since. Probably not a coincidence, although it also correlates with the disruption of the family, restrictions on schools ability to enforce discipline, emphasis on cultural diversity, the "dark side" of American history, drug culture, self-esteem first, and on and on.

For an interesting glimpse into the past read the 1895 8th grade graduation exam used in Salina, Kansas. Keep in mind that most of the teaching then was done in one-room schoolhouses. My great grandmother taught in Nebraska and only had a high school education. http://www.salina.com/1895test/

Yankee Clipper

The Dutchman

Not at all but the liberals that control the socialistic government school system in this country will never allow it...

Unclet Loc: Amarillo, Tx

No, you are not alone - I agree 100%

The Dutchman

I attended a one room country school in the 50's that was grades 1 through 5 with 7 to 14 students and when I started the 6th grade at the High School in Benson MN I tested higher than those who had attended the local elementary school with the exception of 1 girl....

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I fear that most people in this nation think high school is where it ends and someday will find that thing I once had about a survey that was done with college graduates. They learned some really interesting things with it. For instance, that in most instances college freshmen scored higher on purely government questions than seniors. Now this is what sickens me. They got it in high school and lost it in the next 4 - 6 years while in college. Now this happened in the late 90s and the schools with the lowest results would amaze anyone who is not a lefty. It is what those of the left want to see happen.

The colleges that had the highest scoring seniors were those that made their students take at least one government and a couple of history classes. Those that scored lowest were just the opposite. The highest were colleges that were small in numbers and the lowest were just the opposite. Among the five lowest schools we found University of California, Berkley and everybody knows what kind of people they have there. Another leading university that was in that bottom group was Johns Hopkins and you can read some wonderful stuff about what they teach where government is concerned.

I would rather see that test administered every 10 years for those who want to vote in national elections. I will double my efforts to find that article and succeeding ones about the subject.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Can you show us a link to that test? I think it would be very interesting to see those here do it.

The Dutchman

Why every every 10 years instead of a prerequisite to vote in any election? I guess it wouldn't take the dumbohcrap's long to mass produce cheat sheets in Spanish though Eh? & they whould have one hell of a time getting all the dead people to take the test....

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I did some looking and didn't find what I was looking for but at this link you can find a place to click on "Findings" to see some amazing things that were learned.

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/2007/major_findings_finding1.html

bayman Loc: New Jersey

oldroy,

Though not the sample test I took, both of these sites have sample questions:

passcitizenshipexam.com
www.usimmigrationsupport.org/citizenship-test.html

bayman Loc: New Jersey

Though not the sample test I took, both of these sites have sample questions:

passcitizenshipexam.com
www.usimmigrationsupport.org/citizenship-test.html

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I did the citizenship exam and found it pretty simple but informative. Anyone who wants legal citizenship should find it very handy. The worst thing about it is that most people who are naturalized know at least all those things while so many natural borns can't answer too many of them.

I cheated in that I am natural born and taught government to high school students for 28 years and also I taught American History all that time too.

Thanks.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

I have to brag. My progeny and I took the test. The person I periodically call my personal bozo scored a 98. He missed two geography questions.
:D :D :D :-D