Who is the commander in chief of the Military?
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
Did you know the answers to these questions? If you did not know that the president of the United States is the commander in chief of the military or that the Constitution was written at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, then you might have difficulty passing the U.S. citizenship test.
The cornerstone of American democracy is civic engagement, and as United States citizens, we are encouraged to participate in our government. Students today have many options to move forward in life, and it is often easy to forget about our past. To help ensure students have a better understanding of our country’s government and history, I am working on legislation that would add a United States civics test to high school curriculums.
Whether discussing local issues or voting for their elected officials, it is critical that all Hoosiers have a firm understanding of their civic duty. While students currently take government or civics classes at some point during their high school career, recent studies show that less than a third are able to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services citizenship test. Based on this study, it is clear this important information is not fully understood or retained.
Proposed legislation would make this citizenship test a part of high school government classes. The test covers basic U.S. government and history, and consists of questions like, “Why does the flag have 13 stripes?” or “What are the three branches of government?” Immigrants trying to become American citizens are required to take the same test, and the pass rate is over 90 percent. If we hold those seeking U.S. citizenship to this high standard, we should be doing the same for our youngest Americans.
The American citizenship test would be administered in a government class, which is already a requirement to graduate. Students would need to pass the test to receive credit, but would be able to retake it as many times as needed. This would ensure that students gain this critical knowledge, without hindering their ability to graduate.
Informed and engaged citizens are essential to our great country. With conversations at the federal level suggesting lowering the voting age to 16, it is vital now more than ever that our young people are fully prepared to engage in their civic duty.
Do you think you can pass the test? Visit my.uscis.gov/prep/test/civics to take a practice exam.
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State Rep. Woody Burton (R-Whiteland) represents House District 58,
which includes a portion of Johnson County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
