High School Students Ignorant of U.S. History

According to a study of public high school students in Oklahoma, only a miniscule segment of the student population demonstrated sufficient knowledge to pass a citizenship test. A national company, Strategic Vision, performed the study.

Students were given 10 questions drawn from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services item bank. Candidates for U.S. citizenship are required to answer six questions correctly in order to become citizens. According to the USCIS, the first-try passing rate is 92 percent.

Oklahoma’s high school students didn’t fare so well. Despite the fact that most of them have lived in America all their lives, and despite the fact that these students have had thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on their schooling, only 2.8 percent of them passed the citizenship test. That is not a misprint.

For example, only 28 percent of the students were able to identify the U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

Only 26 percent knew that the Constitution’s first 10 amendments are called the Bill of Rights.

Only 29 percent knew that the president is in charge of the executive branch.

Only 23 percent knew that George Washington was the first president.

I suggest that the entire blame for the dismal performance is owned by a failed public educational system. Kids graduate, or drop out, without reading, writing and math skills while demonstrating cult-like proficiency in diversity and environmentalism.

Companion post at EdWatch.