Require all students to pass the "Naturalization Test" given to immigrants applying for citizenship
Today, ONE in THREE Native-Born citizens FAIL that test
Why is it that 97.5% of all immigrants applying for citizenship PASS the civics exam, while one in three of us who were born here, FAIL?
The freedom created by our democracy cannot continue to exist unless each new generation is taught and understands both how and why that freedom must be preserved.
The charts below show the questions most often missed by native-born Americans.
Some of the conclusions shown from the study are frightening. For example:
Only 29% can identify the Constitution as the supreme law of the land
More than ¾ of us cannot name one power of the states, and 59% can't name one power of the federal government
Less than half can identify the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
Only 61% know that "We the People" are the first three words of the Constitution
Middle-aged citizens have the highest pass rates.
The charts are from the U.S. Naturalization and Civics Test, National "Survey of Native-Born U.S. Citizens, March 2012, prepared by Center for the Study of the American Dream.
