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Editorial: Ignorance of our past puts our future in jeopardy
Sarah Palin’s version of the ride of Paul Revere might have gotten a better reception had she waited a decade or two before spinning a tale of the colonial hero warning the British. By then students who are struggling with basic historical facts will be adults of voting age.
The command of history demonstrated by students in the fourth, eighth and 12th grades is dismal, according to just-released scores from the nation’s report card. According to the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress, 20 percent of fourth-graders showed proficiency in history, and they were the high scorers. For eighth-graders, it was 17 percent. For 12th-graders, a measly 12 percent.
These results closely tracked those of 2006, with eighth-graders showing slight improvement and fourth- and 12th-graders showing none. Considering there was such ample room for improvement, these results are disappointing.
Most fourth-graders could not explain why Abraham Lincoln was important. Most high school seniors couldn’t identify China as North Korea’s ally in the Korean War. The test questions aren’t particularly difficult and students are showing progress in other subjects, so we have to wonder whether it’s the schools themselves that aren’t paying attention.
They should, because history connects us to our past as we try to shape the future. The question of who we are cannot be answered without understanding who we used to be. We cannot sidestep previous mistakes, but we can avoid repeating them. Historical ignorance makes us susceptible to would-be leaders who want to take America back to their version of the past. This is especially true of candidates who claim to be channeling the wishes of our Founding Fathers.
We have much to be proud of as a nation, but we also have our share of dark moments. Young people need to learn about both as they shape their ideals and decide what kind of citizens they will become, because what they become is what America will become.
The focal point of instruction over the past decade has been on reading, writing and math, which are the subjects of states’ high-stakes tests. The federal catalyst has been the No Child Left Behind Act, which calls for annual assessments and progress in those subjects. History is also being crowded out by an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curricula as the education system attempts to adjust to new economic realities and a changing employment picture. And while that is an important focus, critics are probably right when they say that what is tested and rewarded is what will be learned.
The future of education must include history, and we don’t mean dry recitations from dusty tomes. History can be enthralling if educators are able to bring it alive and convey how the beginning of a narrative shapes what is to come.