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Concerned about America's future? You should be. We, as a nation, are illiterate. College graduates are illiterate about civics/government--and who knows what else? But, perhaps even worse, the general populace is illiterate.
In 1993, the Department of Education stated that 47% of America's adult population performs only the simplest reading skills. " 'The vast majority of Americans do not know they do not have the skills to earn a living in our increasingly technological society,' says U.S. Secretary of Education, (1994) " (Marcia Kaplan, SF Chronicle, 5/95) "Each year over 700,000 graduate from high school unable to read their high school diploma. The US. Department of Education says that 20% of American adults are functionally illiterate. Functional illiterates can read words but they cannot comprehend their meanings, synthesize information or make decision based on what they read. And marginally illiterate people feel most comfortable receiving information in a visual format, relying more on television than print for information." http://www.efmoody.com/miscellaneous/illiteracy.html
College graduates reading proficiency has declined in the past 10 years; they cannot decipher even a thoughtful editorial, http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/...e_illiter.html and they know virtually nothing about civics/government--yet they vote in record numbers, knowing little, if anything about what they are voting for:
In a multiple choice exam,
Only 17% know the Gettysburg Address is the source of "Government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Likewise, only 17% know that the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South, but not the North.
Only 58% know the Constitution establishes a separation of powers for governmental branches.
Only 48% were able to pick George Washington as general at Yorktown (against Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and William T. Sherman).
More than 60% could NOT identify the term lengths of senators and representatives.
http://whatwilltheylearn.com/public/...essRelease.pdf
If that's what our college graduates know, what does the populace know?" http://www.thenewamerican.com/cultur...ic-civics-test
Here are a few frightening figures certain to keep you up at night:
71% of Americans failed the civics knowledge test;
51% of Americans could not name the three branches of government;
The average score for college seniors on the civics knowledge test was 54.2% (an “F” by any standard);
The average student’s test score improved only 3.8 points from freshman to senior year;
Freshmen at Cornell, Yale, Princeton, and Duke scored better than seniors on the civics knowledge test.
79% of elected officials that took the civics knowledge quiz did not know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
30% of office holders did not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence.
27% of politicians could not name even one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.
43% did not know the purpose of the Electoral College.
39% of lawmakers believe the power of declaring war belongs to the president.
The average score for college professors who took the civics knowledge quiz was 55%.
The major findings can be found here: http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/
To take the test yourself, go to http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/
(I didn't post this in the political forum because I don't see it as a political issue--it's a major American failing)
In 1993, the Department of Education stated that 47% of America's adult population performs only the simplest reading skills. " 'The vast majority of Americans do not know they do not have the skills to earn a living in our increasingly technological society,' says U.S. Secretary of Education, (1994) " (Marcia Kaplan, SF Chronicle, 5/95) "Each year over 700,000 graduate from high school unable to read their high school diploma. The US. Department of Education says that 20% of American adults are functionally illiterate. Functional illiterates can read words but they cannot comprehend their meanings, synthesize information or make decision based on what they read. And marginally illiterate people feel most comfortable receiving information in a visual format, relying more on television than print for information." http://www.efmoody.com/miscellaneous/illiteracy.html
College graduates reading proficiency has declined in the past 10 years; they cannot decipher even a thoughtful editorial, http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/...e_illiter.html and they know virtually nothing about civics/government--yet they vote in record numbers, knowing little, if anything about what they are voting for:
In a multiple choice exam,
Only 17% know the Gettysburg Address is the source of "Government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Likewise, only 17% know that the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South, but not the North.
Only 58% know the Constitution establishes a separation of powers for governmental branches.
Only 48% were able to pick George Washington as general at Yorktown (against Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and William T. Sherman).
More than 60% could NOT identify the term lengths of senators and representatives.
http://whatwilltheylearn.com/public/...essRelease.pdf
If that's what our college graduates know, what does the populace know?" http://www.thenewamerican.com/cultur...ic-civics-test
Here are a few frightening figures certain to keep you up at night:
71% of Americans failed the civics knowledge test;
51% of Americans could not name the three branches of government;
The average score for college seniors on the civics knowledge test was 54.2% (an “F” by any standard);
The average student’s test score improved only 3.8 points from freshman to senior year;
Freshmen at Cornell, Yale, Princeton, and Duke scored better than seniors on the civics knowledge test.
79% of elected officials that took the civics knowledge quiz did not know the Bill of Rights expressly prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
30% of office holders did not know that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence.
27% of politicians could not name even one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.
43% did not know the purpose of the Electoral College.
39% of lawmakers believe the power of declaring war belongs to the president.
The average score for college professors who took the civics knowledge quiz was 55%.
The major findings can be found here: http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/
To take the test yourself, go to http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/
(I didn't post this in the political forum because I don't see it as a political issue--it's a major American failing)
Which he generally wasn't -- as he pointed out, "Look, I've had a lot longer to look into things than you have, so I've got time on my side. But I'm not here to convince you I'm right, I'm here to convince you to think for yourselves and to be thinking citizens."
Although, while I remember a lot of ideas from stuff I've read then, generally haven't a clue who actually said it. 
But with Google so easily available, remembering ideas is usually enough, and I can track down the quote without too much effort. 
OTOH, while I doubt my eldest son could pass this test (for years I was astonished at how fast he could forget history; now I'm astonished when he remembers anything historical), he does research anything he votes on, so there's always that approach.
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