Surveying our future: Today’s teens appear frightfully ignorant of America’s founding principles

[mountaineer]

Surveying our future
Today’s teens appear frightfully ignorant of America’s founding principles
Joel Belz
WORLD magazine

Next time you think things have gotten intolerably bad, and that the world is headed for hell in a handbasket, just think what things might be like if all decision-making were handed to today’s teenagers—the relatively young adults who a decade or two from now, whether you like it or not, will indeed be in the driver’s seat.  ...

But no, I’m not ready to turn things over to them. At least not anytime soon. On this issue of freedom of speech, for example, I couldn’t find a single teenager who had a clue where freedom of speech is declared to be the right of any American citizen. “I’m not sure,” responded Tom, a lanky redhead who said he’s just starting his senior year in a local public high school. “Isn’t that something that comes with our being part of the United Nations?” ...

Intuition told me that to go back in hopes of discovering a thoughtful discussion about freedom of religion would be to draw a blank. Intuition was right. If these kids weren’t at least a tad religious to start with, it was unlikely that religious freedom would be terribly important to them. And frankly, no one in the whole bunch struck me as part of some church’s youth group out for the afternoon. “I know some people are prejudiced,” Amanda responded to my question about religious tolerance, “but as long as we don’t try to embarrass and convert other people, why should anyone be bothered?”  ...

Read the entire essay .

[rangerrebew]

Brought to you by the number 2, the letter F, liberals, and No Child Left Behind (They won't be left behind because they will all be ignorant alike).

[mountaineer]

I suspect that any of us who knows a kid in public high school can attest to the indoctrination they undergo. My niece is a prime example. They graduate barely able to read, write or do math, but they're very aware of white privilege and all to which they're entitled. As for what we used to call "civics," fuggedaboutit.

[Sanguine]

Brought to you by the number 2, the letter F, liberals, and No Child Left Behind (They won't be left behind because they will all be ignorant alike).

This has been going on much longer than NCLB.  The effort to strip Americans of their history has been in place for many, many years.

[Free Vulcan]

And ignorant of a whole lot of other things, yet hyper confident and able to twist, manipulate, and lawyer their way into insisting they are credible. We've taught them to confuse con artistry with the real confidence of actual knowledge, aptitude, accomplishment, and experience.

[Silver Pines]

Surveying our future
Today’s teens appear frightfully ignorant of America’s founding principles
Joel Belz
WORLD magazin
eRead the entire essay .

@mountaineer

Putting this aside to read later.