DID YOU KNOW –
Only 26% of Americans can name the 3 branches of our government (according to one survey). In other, less pleasant-sounding terms 74% of Americans don’t even know the basic structure of their own government.
Many of our Founding Fathers spoke in strong terms about the importance of having an educated populace in order to maintain freedom.
“If Virtue & Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslav’d. This will be their great Security.” ~Samuel Adams
“Every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country.” ~Noah Webster
“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, (A)nd if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.” ~Thomas Jefferson
It’s no secret that the American public education system is largely not fulfilling its necessary function. American students are sadly lacking when it comes to knowledge about their own history and system of government.
This is leading to serious problems. As these under-educated students reach adulthood and enter society, their lack of education is taking shape in some frightening ways. For instance, one study found that “one in two U.S. millennials say they would rather live in a socialist or communist country than a capitalist democracy.”
That is scary.
Many studies and surveys like this exist. Add on top of that the recent fervor and excitement around Bernie Sanders’ run for president, and you have more than just some outlying evidence, you have a frightening trend. All this just shows in painfully clear relief the impact that a lack of civic education has on a generation and by extension, a country.
Another result of this lack of historical understanding of our nation and its founding is misguided activism. People see problems in society and they attempt to act to rectify different situations. Black Lives Matter, ANTIFA, and other groups have arisen with a stated goal of fixing some political or societal problem. Now, whether their intentions are truly good or not is a matter of debate. However, it cannot be denied that some involved do truly want to address what they see as an injustice. The problem is, their lack of education causes them to go about it in a way that is ultimately damaging to society.
A true understanding of America’s founding principles acts as a guide. It prevents this kind of misguided activism.
The rash of political correctness that has swept America is another large part of this problem. Educators from grade school all the way up to the most prestigious universities who have tried to teach some of the most basic truths about America’s founding have been silenced.
Patriotism, God and country, and similar topics have been all but thrown out of America’s modern education system.
America’s approach to educating the next generation on civics and history is in dire need of an overhaul.
Ignoring this problem will undoubtedly lead to problems down the road. And these problems may be much closer than we imagine.
Thankfully, there remains a glimmer of hope. Even in all this darkness, there is still a spark from the Torch of Freedom burning brighter and brighter every year. There is a remnant of passionate Christian patriots who refuse to sit back and allow liberty to be lost.
Patriot Academy is the nation’s premier leadership training program. It started out as a small group of individuals dedicated to training up a new generation of leaders who understand and defend America’s founding principles. This committed group is growing every year.
Patriot Academy is teaching America’s youth how to lead with integrity, principle, and understanding of what makes America free.
If the American public education system is failing to educate the next generation on these vital principles, then we must look for a solution elsewhere.
Patriot Academy is that solution.
