Group pushing for American History requirement for college graduation

KVOA Tucson Channel 4 News (AP Story) ^

[SandRat]

A national group is asking Arizona's public universities to require at least one United States history course of every student before graduation.

American History currently isn't a required course at any of the state's major public universities.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni has written letters to Gov. Janet Napolitano and 20 state lawmakers, asking them to pressure college regents and administrators to make the change.

"The flag doesn't mean all that much if you don't know how it got there," trustees member Charles Mitchell said. "What use is the Constitution if you don't know how it was written?"

State Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said he is exploring legislation that would require colleges that received Arizona tax dollars to mandate their students take American history before receiving a diploma.

"I think we have a fundamental responsibility," said Pearce, who sponsored the flag bill from this session. "The risk is losing our understanding and appreciation of the founding principles."

Faculty members note funding and other logistical problems that would come with an additional curricular mandate. Some are wary of what brand of history the American council has in mind.

Some students say they are simply tired of studying our nation's history by the time they reach college.

"You basically take U.S. history for your whole elementary and high school career," said Kristina Guerra, 20, a junior majoring in English at Arizona State University. "It's just really redundant. How many times can you learn about the pilgrims?"

The debate comes as Arizona school districts and colleges prepare for a new state law that requires the presentation of the U.S. flag in every public classroom, as well as display of the Constitution and Bill of Rights in classrooms for Grades 7 through 12 and college.

The measure, approved this session by the Legislature and signed by the governor, takes effect July 1

Mitchell said that, although the law is well meaning, it will do little on its own to ensure students have a grasp of the events and foundational documents that shape our nation.

[Cobra64]

I'd add Economics as a requirement as well. Too many people are clueless about basic business, which is the engine that drives our economy; despite what most democrats will tell you.

[Tzimisce]

Won't take long for it to be the PC version of history....

[torchthemummy]

Their secondary excuse:

Faculty members note funding and other logistical problems that would come with an additional curricular mandate.

Their primary excuse:

Some are wary of what brand of history the American council has in mind..

This one is a convenient excuse:

Some students say they are simply tired of studying our nation's history by the time they reach college.

"You basically take U.S. history for your whole elementary and high school career," said Kristina Guerra, 20, a junior majoring in English at Arizona State University. "It's just really redundant. How many times can you learn about the pilgrims?"

I would safe in guessing that this girl could not say when the Lexington-Concord battles occurred. How about who wrote the Federalist Papers? How about the Suffolk Resolves? What were the main issues involving opposition to the Stamp Act? What year was the Constitution ratified. What is the process to amend the Constitution? When was the Civil War? This one may be pushing it: Who won the Civil War? When was the Great Depression? How many members of the US Senate? How many members of the House? How many electoral votes do you need to get elected President? You get the idea. Ax George Washington and place in his stead Rigoberta Menchu (sic?)

Mitchell said that, although the law is well meaning, it will do little on its own to ensure students have a grasp of the events and foundational documents that shape our nation.

This makes no sense since Mitchell is quoted a few sentences before as strongly supporting the measure:

"The flag doesn't mean all that much if you don't know how it got there," trustees member Charles Mitchell said. "What use is the Constitution if you don't know how it was written?"

If Mitchell said that the law was well meaning but will do little on it's own to promote US History literacy then why didn't they use such an actual quote? Because he is probably being taken out of context by a biased reporter.

[exhaustguy]

I bet the highest grades in the humanities classes are made by the engineering majors (or natural science majors) instead of those who major in those subjects. It was that way at Purdue in the 1980s.

I agree that the liberal arts majors should have more technical beef to their classes. They should be required to take at least one chemistry and one non-Calculus physics course and math to at least the Pre-Calculus level.

I don't think that American History should be a required course (just too much to take especially in an engineering curriculum). Some option should be made for testing out of the material. Actually the high school exit examinations should test for a minimum level of knowledge. A good chance that a required college based History course would be hijacked by liberals anyway.

[coconutt2000]

I need about 5 liberal arts classes, while liberal arts majors need 2 science classes (which can be fulfilled by pseudo science classes such as environmental studies, a surfing class or anthropology).

Thus making a lot of highly educated people susceptible to highly technical gobbledygook, since most people probably graduate with a liberal arts degree, or a degree in a social study like economics/business.

[sweetliberty]

Huh? I thought it already WAS a requirement. It was for me, although I didn't go to school in Arizona. I thought it was pretty standard though.

[Tired of Taxes]

I remember taking American History in college, but I don't remember if it was required for all students, if it was just required for my major, or if it was one option on a list of requirements.

[NorCalRepub]

...haha....Aristotelian Logic...or whatever it was, is too convoluted...how about a course in common sense...haha, I know many that don't even reach remedial level......

[coconutt2000]

I found Logic to be a very easy class... when I studied it on my own. The lectures were convoluted and confusing, adding to the mystique and importance of the professor, no doubt.

[NorCalRepub]

No doubt.....I took a Medical Ethics class my senior year in college...the text book was very well written and self explanatory......the professor made the class 10 times harder and confusing then it should have been

[Will_Zurmacht]

Think that's bad?

This summer I taught 3 courses, A US Hist since 1877 and World Civ I & II. (Yes I needed the extra money!)

Lexington/Concord?
Freshmen in college do not know who won WWII!
On day one I like to start with a basic exam, just for fun and it helps students realize how much they've learned when the re-take it during the final week. It also helps me find how much background will be needed.
Anyhow, half the class knew that the Union defeated the Confederacy in the Civil war. A third thought that the U.S. defeated Britain in the Civil War. No one could define "New Deal", "Gold Standard" and only one could define the "Cold War", although he thought it was the Germans who formed the Soviet Union. sigh...
I could go on, but you get the drift.

My world civ courses are the most difficult. Imagine this, young men and women, able to vote, yet they cannot find China on a map, don't know what I'm talking about when I say the word "Israel", and they have no idea that a "Cold War" ever took place.
Imagine a generation those has no idea what "communism" really means, except some lefty drivel about "sharing things" their HS social studies teacher told them.

It's maddening, but I feel great when they starting "getting it". For example, after discussing the foundation of Israel and the multiple Arab-Israeli wars, the kids could discuss the events in Lebanon with a basic understanding of the issues involved. Yes! They are getting it!

We should require US History at the college level. No, this is not just about preserving my job...hehe.
It's about sending out educated people from the university.
If a kid can get a college degree and not know anything about WWII, the US Constitution and the Civil War, we have a major problem.

[pissant]

It should be required from kindergarten through graduate school, each year.

[Narcolepsy]

If college kids don't know any of that information by the time they enter college, it seems to me the solution is to fix public education at the grade school level.

College is a time to specialize, not to get bogged down in an endless list of gen eds. It should be (ideally) a time to engage in critical thinking and research skills, not to memorize dates and names. Those who actually managed to learn historical facts about their nation that they should have memorized during middle school shouldn't have to waste their time in this kind of course. And those that haven't, well, maybe they shouldn't be in college.

[PGalt]

Good post. Great thread.

[DH]

We need to scrap all of today's public school curriculum and reinstate the curriculum of 1960, the only exception being the substitution of computer classes in lieu of typing classes.

The schools then taught the basics and once learned, all other education would take care of itself.

[EmilyGeiger]

It was a requirement at the colleges I attended, one private and one public. Both were conservative campuses and my teacher was wonderful. That being said, I was lucky. What if it's required and you get someone like the long haired guy in Colorado?

[Condor51]

Ah yes. U.S. History in College - good idea...

[ater a female student answered correctly why America pulled out of Vietnam]
Is she right? 'Cause I know that's the *popular* version of what went on there.
And a lot of people like to believe that. I wish I could, but I was *there*.
I wasn't here in a class room, hoping I was right, thinking about it.

[shouting] I was up to my knees in rice paddies, with guns that didn't work!
Going in there, looking for Charlie, slugging it out with him;
While p*ssies like you were back here partying, putting headbands on, doing drugs,
and stening to the goddamn Beatle albums! Oh!.. Oh!.. Oh!..

[demkicker]

You stated my immediate worry. The last thing we need is for colleges to teach American History. That would be the end of our country for sure....

[LS]

I agree. However, years ago, Arizona instituted a "free enterprise" course in all high schools, and from what I could tell in my few years there, it seemed to be working ok. But I agree we must use caution.

[LS]

I agree, it's tough either way. And I can't possibly teach ALL the nation's 'youts.'