Dumbing Down Our Education: Our Schools Are Failing Us, But What is the Answer?
Why is national defense considered a public good? What is the Monroe Doctrine? The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) coordinated a national survey on civic literacy that asked questions like these to American college students. Apparently, they are harder to answer than any comprehensive exam ever given at Wabash. Fifty universities and colleges took part in this study, and the average score among them was 53.2%. One could assume those who took the test were simply intellectually inferior, which may be an appropriate thought for a Wabash man; However, students at prestigious schools such as Yale, Cornell, and Princeton also failed the exam. Because a majority of this country’s leaders come from prestigious collegiate settings like those previously mentioned, serious thought needs to occur regarding possible repercussions of the ignorance of current collegiate students on the future of this country.
The ISI’s study tested freshmen and compared their performance to those of seniors also taking the survey to see if the college experience added to students’ civic knowledge — sadly, it does not. The survey shows that a college education minimally enhances civic knowledge (around a 3% increase). ISI makes several claims for the importance of gaining a broad civic background. They assert that parents and students are not getting their money’s worth from education, especially since tuition is constantly rising. They also claim that alumni and government financial aid towards students is being wasted since colleges do not promote important information of America’s past. While a lack of civic knowledge is indeed a problem, what degree of importance does it have on students in general, America’s future, and Wabash as a whole?
Students go to college in order to enter the workforce with the possibility of acquiring a more advanced job. Contrary to the claims that because students pay lots of money to attend college, they deserve to know more about civics, I think that because students pay money that they deserve to choose their own schedules. Institutions should, of course, offer courses that pertain to American history and its founding. Therefore, a student can choose to take courses on these civic topics, but may not (and many do not according to the survey) because of the specialization that occurs throughout college. At first glance, it would seem that while future politicians should probably study the thoughts of America’s founders, it should not be required of biology, religion, or psychology students. While these assumptions may seem logical, no one actually knows who the leaders of the country are going to be. Because of this uncertainty, all students should be offered (but not forced to take) an array of courses in different fields that can relate to American history and thought,
Wabash College, however, prides itself on its grand liberal arts education. When I took the test, I felt my “superior” and “vast” education failed me, because I failed the test as well. Because our results would more than likely mirror other colleges, is the lack of civic knowledge an important issue for Wabash to include in its grand discourse? There are certainly courses here which could increase our knowledge of America, but I feel it would be a tragic mistake to require these courses. The student is paying for his education and needs a certain specialization for after college. In requiring a course, the student’s civic knowledge would increase, but the student’s satisfaction, which he rightfully deserves, would decrease. One possible solution is that colleges can offer various civics courses in different fields so that one can still specialize their knowledge for their future job while learning our country’s past and history. Although the ISI reports are staggering, the college should not do anything to force a student to take such a course, but should instead offer more relevant courses. While the past is important, and our history should be cherished, just imagine the value of another C&T.
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