5/30/2023

Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal focuses on the latest piece by Jack Miller Center President Hans Zeiger, who argues that the University of North Carolina faulty outcry to proposed state-level legislation that would make it mandatory for students to take a class in American history and civics before graduation is misplaced. “The need for such an education in our public universities, not to mention our K-12 schools, is urgent,” Zeiger writes. “As the bonds of our shared democratic life are strained, Americans across the political spectrum are looking to our schools and universities to revive the teaching of American citizenship.” Additionally, he notes that the goal of improving history and civics among students is shared by the vast majority of parents no matter their political persuasion, as a recent poll conducted by RealClear Opinion Research shows.

Zeiger also argues that the faculty condemnation of the creation a civics center at UNC-Chapel Hill, which would be modeled off of the School for Civics and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State, is short-sighted. “The protesters’ letter suggests that UNC’s proposed School of Civic Life and Leadership will be a partisan institution, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Zeiger explains. Civics education is a unifying force, giving all Americans the ability to gain crucial “knowledge of the nation’s core principles.” He continues: “The American political tradition is broad and inclusive. Voices from the left and the right can both identify with it – and voices from both sides should promote its teaching.”

Overall, Zeiger applauds “North Carolina legislators and university trustees,” who he says “deserve credit for pushing to improve the state of civics in their universities." He urges every state to work hard to introduce students “to the intellectual foundations of constitutional democracy.” “In a time when universities across the country are eliminating humanities course work, professors ought to be heartened that legislators are recognizing the crucial link between liberal education and civic health and taking steps to support it.”