Citizens must know government before trying to make it function

Richard Fulton

Too many Americans have either forgotten, or have never been taught, the foundations of how American government works. Even living under that government seems not to produce an understanding of its complexities.

There has been a movement of late to deal with the problem by instituting a state-mandated, standardized exam on American government for all high school graduates. The exam, this movement proposes, would be based upon the citizenship exam all those who want to become Americans must pass.

That exam is a short series of questions on American history and government. To pass, you only need 70 percent of the short list of questions answered correctly.

Few fail because they are given a booklet of questions from which the exam will be taken.

Which they memorize.

Then forget.

Here we go again, a simplistic solution to a more complex problem.

Quick standardized exam, memorized questions and answers — problem solved.

This has been the means that many high schools have given a minimal bow to the state of Missouri’s legal requirement that American government and history be taught at all levels of public schools.

Some schools give a “constitution” test and call it a day. Others have a course in civics that tends to teach to a standardized test. Some do have a substantive civics course.

I have complained for years that the Maryville solution has been to offer the civics course in the freshman year, when students have little or no interest in the subject.

Rather, it should be offered in the senior year, when those students become eligible to vote.

The course could be more relevant by taking the students to register to vote, help them contribute to a campaign of their choice, or other hands-on citizen activities.

My admonitions have fallen on deaf ears.

There is a need for good, relevant courses in American government and history. Note the outbreak of indignation over Obama’s innocent historic references to “Christian” history of violence against others in the name of religion.

Don’t we teach about the slavery and segregation in our nation anymore? Both justified under by the Bible. Ever see those pictures of the KKK meetings under banners of “protect our Christian values”?

A survey out of Xavier University that asked simple questions about the governmental leadership in America has made news recently.

Nicely, 99 percent of Americans could identify correctly the president. Besides that, the results went from OK to sad.

Vice president? 71 percent. Governor of your state? 38 percent. Congressional leaders? 38 percent. Chief justice of the U.S.? 26 percent.

And this is just the superficial knowledge of government. How many can explain our federals system of government?

States have areas of virtually complete control constitutionally. The federal government has nothing to do with prosecuting or carrying out most all criminal law, for example.

What responsibilities do counties and cities have?

In point of fact, only those the state allows them to have under its constitutions and laws.

And there are hundreds of special districts with their own governmental structures (rural water, ambulance, fire).

The leadership of which are all elected.

How much of this is taught in our schools? How are citizens supposed to make rational decisions (if that is their want) if they have not been given the information on how the system works? Or at least, how it is supposed to work.

Wonder why Congress and state governments are so dysfunctional?

Too many citizens don’t know how they are supposed to function, so it’s hard to challenge their disfunction.

And this does not even touch the subjetc of the role of parties and interest groups.