Knowledge of civics critical to democracy: #tellusatoday

Arizona and North Dakota are the first states to require that high schoolers, in order to graduate, pass the citizenship exam given to immigrants. Letter to the editor:

Before we propose new tests, let's not forget to teach history and social studies ("Require citizenship test in schools: Our view").

Thanks to the new curriculum instituted to meet the Common Core requirements, my public school first-grader no longer receives regular social studies lessons. History and science have been eliminated so almost all academic time will be spent on math and reading.

High school is too late to instill a love and understanding of history. If we thought Americans' knowledge of civics was abysmal before, it will be downright terrifying to meet the adult citizens raised on this narrow-minded curriculum.

Dorian Solot; Albany, N.Y.

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

I am all for it. This is a failure in the school system. These kids shouldn't graduate from high school without knowing civics.

An uneducated voter is easier to manipulate and control. It's true irony that we have fresh immigrants who know more about the workings of government than many of the citizens who were born here.

— Mark Smith

I passed that civics test 11 years ago. I've had little use for the information since then, although the French and Indian wars are an ongoing academic interest to me.

— Dave Cawdell

Unfortunately, the test will not stop at asking who led the army during the war for independence. It will be politically correct and designed to further indoctrinate our children to revisionist versions of history that pervade university campuses today.

— Christopher Jay Campbell

Hold all citizens to the same standards

We asked what followers thought of a requirement for high schoolers to pass the civics test given to immigrants seeking citizenship. Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

Yes, it's the only way our representative democracy can survive. We must know civics even if we don't participate.

— @acwelling

It creates more cohesiveness among Americans. It's never a bad thing to learn more about your home country.

— @Jake_Thigpen

American citizens should all be held to the same standards. My concern is, how are these test questions selected?

— @ChenerePRamsey

I grew up in Guatemala then moved to the U.S. at age 13. I started seventh grade and knew more U.S. history than my entire class.

— @diegoantonio09

For more of the conversation, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday on Twitter.