The United States is the greatest nation on earth because of the careful and tireless work of patriots like Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Madison, and countless others. This incredible group of patriots, filled with a deep and abiding love for liberty and our new land, instilled in our young nation the principles and ideals that have guided it for over 200 years. Unfortunately, for too long our schools have done a poor job of teaching our children the civic information necessary to prepare them to be active citizens in our society.
On the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Civics Assessment, more than two-thirds of all American students scored below proficient. This has led former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to declare that our country is facing a “crisis in civic education.”
Almost all students know the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 and that George Washington was the first president of the United States. However, students are sorely lacking in knowledge concerning our founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the principles and ideas upon which they were built. It is one thing to know that the Constitution is the document that spells out our system of federal government. But how many high school graduates can list all ten amendments of the Bill of Rights? I would wager not many.
This is unfortunate because up until the 1960s, the idea of schools having an irreplaceable mission to teach civics was clearly recognized. Indeed, our Founding Fathers in the earliest days of our new nation knew that a free society must depend on its citizens’ knowledge, skills and civic virtue. According to John Adams, “Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.”
Is it any wonder with the lack of understanding most people have concerning how and why our government works, that so few people actively participate in it on a regular basis. If we do not stress to students how important our system of government is to the way they live their lives, it should come as no surprise that only slightly more than half of U.S. citizens voted in the last presidential election.
As citizens of this great nation, we reap daily the fruits of our founding fathers’ work. We enjoy a level of freedom and economic prosperity unmatched in the rest of the world. Unfortunately, many Americans often take these freedoms for granted and forget that with great freedom comes great responsibility.
It is more important than ever that our children, regardless of origin, are made aware of our nation's political and civic heritage. Continuing to ignore our nation’s founding documents and failing to prepare our children as citizens can only jeopardize the future of our democratic institutions.
So as we pause to wish our country Happy Birthday, let’s take a moment to say the Pledge of Allegiance and pay homage to the principles and ideals that have made the United States of America the greatest nation on earth.
Andrew LeFevre is director of development for the Scottsdale-based Joe Foss Institute, a 501 (C)(3) educational organization dedicated to teaching our nation’s youth about patriotism, public service, integrity and an appreciation for America’s unique freedoms and history.
Engaged Voter posted at 10:05 am on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
"This is unfortunate because up until the 1960s, the idea of schools having an irreplaceable mission to teach civics was clearly recognized."
"let’s take a moment to say the Pledge of Allegiance"
I just wanted to point out that our schools began failing in this regard at the same time religion was forcibly injected into our schools and our Pledge.
This July 4th I will indeed recite the Pledge of Allegiance - the ORIGINAL Pledge.
chatmandu002 posted at 10:34 am on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
I agree that the decline in civics started when the liberal/progressive "great society" started in the mid 1960s. Emphasis in education was placed more on progressive present day political correctness instead of learning how we got here. When courts ruled that children have the same rights as adults while also enjoying the protections of adolescence the children soon learned that disrespect has no consequences. Schools and teachers were stripped of their authority delegating them to daycare and babysitting duties.
Arizona Willie posted at 11:32 am on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
You made one major mistake in your article. Right in the first sentence. You said " America is the greatest nation on earth " and you should have said " America WAS the greatest nation on earth".
Corporate greed has destroyed what was built on the foundations left by the original founders.
Corporations have bought our Legislators and our Supreme Court. The Congress and Supreme Court no longer work for the American people ... they work for corporations.
The America we grew up with is on a downhill slide. The middle class is disappearing.
American jobs are being exported or filled with imported illegal labor.
Both major political parties are completely corrupt and in the pay of Big Business.
I'm thinking there is another revolution in America's future within 30 years. Perhaps sooner.
LearningEveryDay posted at 12:22 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
Lefevre's organization, Joe Foss Institute, has a video in which a teacher says, 'Textbooks have become too liberal." The organization sends veterans to schools to tell their stories and the school children get the message, "War is glory. Veterans are heroes."
The challenge with "Civics Education" is in teaching it in a balanced way. Conservative organizations like Lefevre's group see his veterans-in-schools programs as, "civics," while those with a liberal perspective see his programs as, "Indoctrination to a culture of war."
To teach balanced civics, a classroom should bring in veterans to tell their stories, and war protesters to tell their stories. SInce those who fight in wars are heroes, those who protest so that a war will end are also heroes.
So it is for every civics action: Those who create taxes to support education and veterans' benefits are heroes. And those who protest those taxes are heroes. All perspectives are needed to keep our Independence balanced.
Arizona Willie posted at 1:04 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
LearningEveryDay ... America is a culture built on war.
Defense is our largest industry. We spend more on defense than the next 26 nations combined.
Add active duty military and active wars to our defense industry and it is undoubtedly more than half our total budget ( if you could find out the amount spent on wars that Bush put off budget ).
Accuracy posted at 6:14 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
Andrew LeFevre wrote: “……. However, students are sorely lacking in knowledge concerning our founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the principles and ideas upon which they were built.”
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In 1776, it was Thomas Jefferson who drafter and signed the Declaration of Independence, along with others signers. Jefferson and the committee acknowledged the source of the rights they were demanding:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
Acknowledging the Creator set the stage for the concept of free citizenship. As a symbol of American Independence is the Liberty Bell, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which has the Bible verse lettering (Leviticus 25:10) placed on the bell - "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
samkat posted at 6:29 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
AW: If it was not for a strong active duty military, you might be speaking Russian or Chinese. As it is, you only have to worry about the liberal far left forcing mandatory Spanish onto our children.
samkat posted at 6:31 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
Andrew: Do we have enough classroom hours for such things as civics when the radical right are trying to convert our schools into religious oriented learning institutions.
mrconservative posted at 10:52 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
Willie, America is the world's greatest nation on earth. We are the freeest nation; we are the land of the free because of the brave.
mrconservative posted at 10:54 pm on Wed, Jul 4, 2012.
Okay, that didn't make much sense. What is more accurate is that the United States is the greatest nation on earth.
We are still one nation under God.
Our motto is "In God We Trust"
And I, for one, trust God over anyone on earth. ANYONE.
k33j88 posted at 5:25 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Mr. LeFevre is right. There needs to be a more thorough lesson plan on the thought process, innovation, and relevancy of our beloved documents. If our posterity cannot grasp how these GOD-inspired documents affect our daily lives, then I fear we may lose our nation.
Engaged Voter posted at 7:04 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Good old mrconservative and his myopic, ignorant bigotry.
I never knew Mormons could be so nasty and hateful.
Thanks for the "lesson".
Engaged Voter posted at 7:05 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Mrconservative trusts an imaginary friend over ANYONE on earth.
So do some of our more ignorant legislatures.
THIS is what is destroying our once great country.
Arizona Willie posted at 7:33 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
samkat ... having a strong military is one thing ... overdoing it is another.
As Eisenhower told us " beware the military / industrial complex ".
Since WWI we have had only a few brief years between wars. Just long enough to restock and find someone else to go to war with.
Isn't it strange that we are the ONLY country ( other than perhaps Israel ) that thinks people are constantly trying to do evil to us and we must attack them?
Granted, evil has been done to us. But not all our wars were because of someone attacking us. Vietnam did not attack us. Korea did not attack us. Iraq did not attack us. Afghanistan did harbor a militant group that attacked us ... but was hardly a threat to the existence of our nation. We lose more people to auto accidents every month than we lost in 9-11. Certainly we had to respond though. I'm hardly a pacifist.
The U.S. is the worlds biggest exporter of weapons.
The business of America has been war for generations now. We are almost constantly in a war and / or selling instruments of war to others so they can attack people they don't like.
Having a strong defense is good.
Eating is good.
You can do too much of both.
Accuracy posted at 8:18 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
mrconservative posted: Our motto is "In God We Trust"
Good point........ So let’s not forget this is our national motto, “In God We Trust’. The final stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner, written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key (and later adopted as the National Anthem of the United States of America), contains an early reference to a variation of the phrase: "...And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust'."
Today it is our national motto that can to be displayed in all public schools and government buildings. It affirms God's existence as a self-evident truth. And it is so fitting for this time in history, and in this nation today and forever.
chuckles3 posted at 8:51 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Civics lessons would be good-if we really taught kids the principals of limited government, they actually might realize how ridiculous and overreaching things like Obamacare, the Department of Education and the Department of Energy are.
They also might learn about the 10th amendment and how the Supreme Court has been ignoring it for about the last 100 years.
And for the chucklehead who thinks war protestors are 'heroes', I am all for them getting equal time with veterans. My kids first question would be something like"so who do you give credit to for your right and ability to protest against the Government?" Not those evil men in uniform? Not that silly God guy? I would love to hear the answer.
Engaged Voter posted at 9:41 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
' "so who do you give credit to for your right and ability to protest against the Government?" Not those evil men in uniform? Not that silly God guy? I would love to hear the answer.'
I give credit to the men and women who died to secure our freedoms, which is FAR different from the men and women who are dying for corporate profits (Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.).
I support ALL of our troops, but I'm not ignorant enough to pretend they are currently fighting to protect our freedoms...to do that, they'd need to come home first!
As for your Bronze Age Abrahamic god myth...Accuracy claims its existence is self-evident. A strange claim to make for something with no evidence. ;)
Accuracy posted at 10:44 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Is was President Obama, who called "E pluribus unum" the national motto . . And then he rebuked the House of Representatives for going ahead and passing a bill (by a vote of 396-9) reaffirming “In God We Trust” as our national motto.
720jason posted at 10:46 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
If you doubt any of this I recommend that you attend a high school event where the colors are presented or the pledge is recited.. Many do not even stand and administrators do not do anything about it. Most of the kids do not intend to be disrespectful, they just have never been taught otherwise. Our schools are underfunded and subject to the latest fad which is now Science, technology, engineering, and math. Our legislature has mandated so many of these classes that there is no money or time left for civics.
JROTC programs are an exception-they are a shining example of what America youth can do when motivated. However our political leaders seem determined to shut them down as fast as possible. Our Arizona congressional representatives did nothing when Mesquite High JROTC was closed by the feds last year along with numberous other school JROTC programs, Your own school district in Scotsdale does not have a single JROTC program! Parents in so called patriotic towns like Gilbert do not encourage their kids to take these classes and the enrollment reflects a lack of school district and parent support.
Engaged Voter posted at 10:57 am on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
E. Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One) was indeed our national motto, since 1795.
The fact that religious extremists changed this means nothing.
Here, some actualy "Accuracy" regarding the issue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_pluribus_unum
Accuracy posted at 2:00 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Engaged Voter……… You should click on the link you posted: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_pluribus_unum . . . and read about “E puribus unum” the de facto motto.
E pluribus unum was adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created in 1782, and was first used on United States coinage in 1795. Never codified by law, E pluribus unum was considered a “de facto motto” of the United States. Meaning, being in effect as one of the nation's mottos, at the time of the seal's creation . . . But, it was never an official motto.
The “In God We Trust” phrase appears to have originated in the Star-Spangled Banner, written during the War of 1812. The fourth stanza includes the phrase, "And this be our motto: 'In God is our Trust.'"
The phrase “In God We Trust” was first seen on coins during the Civil War in 1854. It appeared sporadically on U.S. coins since 1864 and on paper currency since 1957.
“In God We Trust” was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956 when the United States Congress passed an act (H.J. Resolution 396) – and reaffirmed last November as our national motto, by a vote of 396-9, by the House of Representatives.
The motto was first challenged in Aronow v. United States in 1970, but the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled: "It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise."
VofReason posted at 2:16 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
"I just wanted to point out that our schools began failing in this regard at the same time religion was forcibly injected into our schools and our Pledge." Yes, because of course we all know that children who think there is something greater then themselves, want to help their fellow man, and are respectful to others are certainly the pivot point at which schools started failing. That is why the Christian Schools always churn out such lunkheads and drains on society. Engaged Voter, the Liberal nonsense echo chamber is calling, please return quickly......
VofReason posted at 2:18 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
I know this is not a question that AZ Willie can answer, but didn't the middle class emerge because we became a corporations driven society? Or was it because the unions made it possible?
Arizona Willie posted at 3:17 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
Actually, VofReason, I can answer your question.
The middle class emerged primarily as a result of WWII.
And, because of unions that got wage and hour laws enacted.
But WW II provided a tremendous surge in pent up demand and soldiers returned home to far better paying jobs than they left when they were inducted.
Suburbia blossomed after WW II when all the returning servicemen were able ( with the GI Bill ) to go to college and buy a home in the suburbs. Which also entailed needing a car. The demand for labor to man the factories was extreme and the companies ( for the most part ) were happy to pay scale. Exports shot through the roof. Everything American was in demand because we produced wonderful things like Chevies and Fridgidaires and Levi's.
Things worked well until about the mid 80's when the concept of executive bonuses took hold. Then began the rush to the bottom to make things cheaper and cheaper in order to make more profit than the previous quarter / year so the exec's could ' justify ' their bonuses.
Once they got to making things so cheap they fell apart during shipping ( refrigerators were notorious for awhile as well as the well known problems with autos ), the demand began falling for American made and imports became the rage which cut into middle class jobs.
But, the concept of imports made execs think. Once they had maxed out all possible profit from cutting corners in production and then moving plants to non-union states -- they decided to go take advantage of cheap foreign labor. And for the jobs they couldn't export they enticed people to enter the country illegally and work under the table.
Thus we have our current situation.
Engaged Voter posted at 4:06 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
""It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. "
So you'd be okay if the motto was "In Allah We Trust" , since it has nothing to do with religion. right? Right? ;)
"are respectful to others" - Unless their skin is a different color, or they happen to be gay, or a non Christian. That's not respect, that's bigotry.
"That is why the Christian Schools always churn out such lunkheads and drains on society."
Were you trying to be sarcastic? Would you like a list of convicted thieves, rapists, murderers, child abusers, pedophiles, ect. that came from Christian Schools? Be warned, it is a LONG list!
I see Accuracy has once again used the "Liberal" label to describe me.
It amazes me (although it shouldn't by now) how effortlessly these so-called Christians spew lies over and over and over. Great moral values, LOL!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 5:12 pm on Thu, Jul 5, 2012.
LIBERALS, PROGRESSIVES AND DEMOCRATS HAVE TRIED SINCE THE 1960'S TO ERADICATE "PATRIOTISM" FROM OUR GREAT NATION.
JUST LOOK AT OUR CURRENT OCCUPANTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE;
A PRESIDENT WHO BOWS IN HALF TO THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN AND THE KING OF SAUDI ARABIA AND GOES ALL OVER THE WORLD ....."APOLOGIZING"....FOR AMERICA.
A FIRST LADY WHO UNTIL SHE WAS 40YEARS OLD WAS ...."ASHAMED TO BE AN AMERICAN" (those are her exact words).
AS FOR OUR TEACHERS THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO TEACH "CIVICS" OR "PATRIOTISM"...........THEY ARE TOO BUSY TEACHING ...ECOLOGY, GLOBAL WARMING, OPEN BORDERS, THE UNITED NATIONS, ETHNIC/LA RAZA STUDIES (THE DIRECTOR OF THE TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ETHNIC STUDIES PROGRAM HAS A PORTRAIT OF CHE GUEVERA, COMMUNIST CUBA'S FIDEL CASTRO'S RIGHT HAND MAN).
THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATES (ALL THE PROFESSORS) VOTED ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY TO ...........CONDEMN SB1070........NOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT VOTE PURE 100% SOCIALIST SOME HAVE EVEN CALLED IT....."SEDITION"......NO TO RESPECT THE UNITED STATES BORDERS, THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE US CODE OF LAW.....HISTORY AND FAR MORE EDUCATED CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS WILL HAVE TO JUDGE THE ACTIONS OF THESE TAX-PAYER FUNDED UNIVERSITIES......WAY ABOVE MY PAY SCALE..............[wink]
John316 posted at 7:29 pm on Tue, Aug 7, 2012.
[smile] A few years ago I wrote a poem about an unnamed 3rd grader in Elk Grove CA who was writing a letter to her father who was fighting a war for our freedoms:
One Nation Under God
Dear Daddy, I love you; I sure wish you were here...........
Something awful happened today at school
The teacher cried as she read a new rule
We can't say the pledge and we all cried
Daddy does that mean that our country died?
Last week the teacher talked of Francis Scott Key
And we sang the song "Oh say can you see"
Does God still bless America, from see to shinning sands?
Is it O.K. to love the flag, the republic for which it stands?
One Nation Under God, have we lost that some how?
Daddy do something please, pray with me now
Dear God bless America, with your mighty rod
Please protect my daddy, and our One Nation Under God
Daddy who can I turn to since you're not here anymore?
Daddy I know you left to fight the terrorist war
Daddy we can't say the pledge, and I cried
Daddy does that mean that out country died?
For the answer, turn to the word of God and find 2 Chronicles 7:14
also John3:16