![]() ![]() And when parents refuse to engage arguments with which they disagree, students come to believe that listening to opposing viewpoints is a sign of weakness rather than civic strength. When our media promote the loudest and most antagonistic voices, students learn that shouting is more effective than listening. When our political leaders wage “ school wars” over what historical models can and cannot be taught in the classroom, they signal to students that certain views are simply not worth considering. The political polarization that poisons our politics is only deepening this crisis. Eighth graders scored worse on the history section this year than in in any year since the test was first administered on the subject in 1994, and civics scores dropped for the first time since it was first tested in 1998, with less than one in every four students scoring proficient. ![]() New data released by the Department of Education-known as the Nation’s Report Card and widely regarded as the best assessment of how well we are educating our future citizens-paints a stark and worrying picture. America’s civic education crisis is not new, but it is becoming increasingly dire. ![]()
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