Most American Student Don't Know The Three Branches of Government
On the first day of his American National Government class, Prof. Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.
“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”
“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”
It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.
“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”
Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.
Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.
Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.
“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.
But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?
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Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.
For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reflections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to fulfill a requirement from the board of regents.
Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.
“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to finish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.
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