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Grayson bill urges teens to study Constitution
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| Contributor | Craverguy |
| Last Edited | Craverguy Sep 21, 2009 03:48am |
| Category | Proposed Legislation |
| News Date | Sep 15, 2009 09:50am |
| Description | WASHINGTON -- High schools seniors are urged to spend a week studying the Constitution under a bill that passed the U.S. House last night. Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, the measure cites the widespread failure of “civic literacy” as a major U.S. problem.
As proof, the resolution offers a 1998 survey that showed “more teenagers knew who the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' was than the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.” The bill also noted that the three American Idol judges were better known than the three branches of government -- even though there are now four judges.
“The Constitution is the highest law in the land. If we are not teaching our children the Constitution, what are we teaching them?” asked Grayson in a statement.
The measure attracted 222 co-sponsors, including 40 Republicans, according to Grayson’s office.
Civic literacy remains a fundamental problem. Two studies in 2006 and 2007 found that college students failed miserably at "basic knowledge of America’s heritage," according to the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. "The average freshman scored 51.7 percent the first year and 51.4 percent the next. The average senior scored 53.2 percent, then 54.2 percent." |
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