Reflecting on his early education, President Calvin Coolidge wrote that in his studies he “was attracted to civil government.” He recalled:
“This was my first introduction to the Constitution of the United States. Although I was but thirteen years old, the subject interested me exceedingly. The study of it which I then began never ceased, and the more I study it, the more I have come to admire it, realizing that no other document devised by the hand of man ever brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. The good it has wrought can never be measured.”
The education Coolidge received was very different from what most students—especially those in public schools—receive today. The importance of studying American history, government, and Western civilization can no longer be sidelined. Too often, discussions about education focus solely on spending, finance, or the promotion of STEM programs—science, technology, engineering, and math.
Of course, students need a curriculum that prepares them for higher education and the workforce. But education must also do more—it should prepare students to be informed, responsible citizens. Education is not just about acquiring skills; it is about citizenship.
For decades, the nation has faced a civic education crisis. Students are leaving K–12 schools and colleges with an alarming lack of understanding of American history, government, and Western civilization. Too often, civics instruction has become politicized, with curricula emphasizing narrow or revisionist viewpoints rather than a balanced appreciation of our shared history.
As a result, many young people are developing shallow or distorted views of America’s founding principles and institutions. Classrooms increasingly frame citizenship in global rather than national terms, and higher education is often dominated by a limited range of political and cultural perspectives.
In response, the Iowa Legislature has acted to strengthen civic education and refocus instruction on the values of liberty, republican self-government, and civic virtue that define the American tradition. In 2024, lawmakers directed a revision of the state’s social studies standards to ensure those principles are emphasized throughout the curriculum. The standards remain under review, but the goal is clear: reinforce rigorous instruction in American history, government, and Western civilization so that every Iowa student gains a deeper understanding of what it means to be an informed citizen.
The Legislature also required all high school students to pass the U.S. citizenship exam before graduation. This modest measure at least ensures that students demonstrate a basic understanding of our nation’s founding and institutions. Iowa already requires high school students to complete a course in civics prior to graduation, but strengthening the standards in the curriculum is essential to reversing the decline.
When it comes to higher education the situation is different. Iowa’s Regent Universities do not require a course in civic education to graduate. Further, the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal notes that Iowa’s flagship institution, the University of Iowa, is absent from the list of the “most civically aligned teacher preparation programs.”
America’s civic ignorance contributes to its deep divisions. Patrick J. Buchanan warned in The Death of the West:
“How does one sever a people’s roots? Destroy its memory. Deny a people the knowledge of who they are and where they came from… Destroy the record of a people’s past, leave it in ignorance of who its ancestors were and what they did, and one can fill the empty vessels of their souls with a new history.”
Political philosopher Russell Kirk echoed this sentiment, writing that “ignorance is a dangerous luxury” and that Americans who lack understanding of their nation’s principles “will be susceptible to ideologies and endanger the moral security of the nation.”
This civic decay explains why anti-American sentiment is rising among young people—and why so many now embrace socialism and even communism. How can constitutional principles like federalism or the Electoral College survive if they are no longer taught or understood?
This doesn’t mean avoiding difficult chapters in our history, such as slavery. In fact, Americans have a duty to develop an informed knowledge of history and institutions. As author James S. Robbins wrote in Erasing America, “History is the source of all life’s lessons, the good and the bad. We turn to history to see what to embrace and what to avoid.”
Civic education must be about more than memorizing facts. It should cultivate responsible citizens, not activists. It should inspire patriotism, respect for America’s heritage, and a lifelong desire to learn—just as it did for Coolidge. We owe it to both our ancestors and future generations to preserve our Republic and its ideals. It’s time to restore that lesson to our schools and to heed the advice President Ronald Reagan provided us, “Let’s start with some basics: more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.”
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