Purdue University President Believes Graduates Should Understand the Constitution
“to ensure that Purdue graduates have a fundamental knowledge of America and its government”
This is a fantastic idea and should be implemented nationwide.
Campus Reform reports:
Purdue pres advocates novel concept: Grads should know the Constitution
An Indiana university’s president is suggesting that his faculty come up with a civic literacy test to implement as a graduation requirement.
Purdue University president and former Republican Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels made the proposal during a meeting of the university senate, which consists largely of faculty members, according to the Journal & Courier. Daniels stated that the purpose of the test would be to ensure that Purdue graduates have a fundamental knowledge of America and its government.
“We would like to be able [to] certify that in addition to the other positive accomplishments here at Purdue, you are leaving with this fundamental understanding,” the president said at the meeting. “I think it would be becoming of our institution. And I think it would be a worthy contribution to our individual students.”
Faculty members were open to the idea, according to Natalie Carroll, a Purdue professor, and university senate chairwoman. Others seemed unsure that a test would be the best way to encourage civic literacy.
“My question is, to what extent do you think these students will actually learn from taking a 10-minute, multiple-choice exam?” Purdue Fort Wayne professor Chris Erickson asked Daniels, according to the Journal & Courier. “These kinds of questions and ideas should be taken in classes, where faculty are [sic] teaching these ideas. Just requiring what seems to be a multiple-choice exam, I don’t see how that moves us in the right direction.”
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Comments
Civics used to be taught in high school. Passing it was required for graduation. Purdue should call their class “remedial civics.”
One ten minute test is the culmination of hours of study. Professor Erickson makes it sound like a pop quiz.
Professor Erickson is correct, we should indeed have coursework and classes that would teach the ideas behind the Constitution. Where would we find the faculty to do this?