Education's decline creates ignorant adults' voices, votes

Eighth graders scored historically low on recent tests of US history and civics known as the Nation’s Report Card.

“History” being significant events in our nation’s past and “civics” encompassing the fundamental knowledge required to understand — or at least interpret — rights and responsibilities associated with American citizenship.

Just 13% of these students met history proficiency standards, meaning 87% could not explain major themes, periods, events, people, ideas or turning points in our nation’s existence.

In civics, only roughly one-fifth attained or exceeded proficiency.

These appalling test scores should serve as a wake-up call to every American.

Kids with a compromised sense of national identity become ignorant adults who wield their voices and votes to their own and the collective’s ultimate detriment.