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Home – Texas Politics & News – What Texas’ New High School Civics Requirements Get Right

What Texas’ New High School Civics Requirements Get Right

Kaden Mattingly | Mary Elizabeth Castle

The American system of government and way of life depend on an educated citizenry. Our Constitution ensures that the people are trusted with political power, and its system is centered around rights, checks and balances, and limitations on government. But those protections mean little if citizens do not understand civics.  

Forty-three percent of Americans cannot name a single right guaranteed by the First Amendment. How can such people possibly hold their government accountable? Clearly, something needs to change. Texas, for one, is taking this need seriously.  

In September, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved a sweeping revision of the Social Studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills that will reshape how Texas students learn about government in high school.  

The new standards adopted by the SBOE are demanding. For instance, in addition to expecting students to understand the basics of the founding documents, they require students to be able to perform more advanced tasks such as explaining why the Americans won the Revolutionary War and analyzing Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments.  

Some have criticized the revised standards, alleging that they lack “diversity.” However, the new standards actually fight against the kind of ignorance........

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