Virginia homeschoolers, I know you're going to be interested in this bill that is currently on the table in Richmond, Virginia. (See the article here: https://www.wric.com/news/politics/capitol-connection/delegate-wants-law-passed-to-require-high-schoolers-to-pass-a-naturalization-test-to-graduate/amp/)
It just came out two days ago in the news, stating that they are trying to require high school seniors to pass the United States naturalization equivalent test. (See it here: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf
These are basic knowledge questions, such as: Who was the first president of the United States? What countries did America fight against in World War II? What is the Constitution? What are the three branches of government? What are their main objectives? You get the idea.
Only 3% of high school seniors—according to a new book that has just been released—can actually achieve a score of 6 out of 10.
See this article here: https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/01/24/american-history-crisis-most-high-schoolers-flunked-us-citizenship-test-theyre-now-adults/amp/
(Other articles say only 1/3 pass https://citizensandscholars.org/resource/national-survey-finds-just-1-in-3-americans-would-pass-citizenship-test/)
Now, as a fun little challenge, I asked my 14-year-old, who hasn't technically taken the government requirement for high school yet, if she could answer these questions. She scored 47%, which I’m super proud of, especially considering she hasn't completed the required course yet and still managed to have enough basic knowledge to get that score. (See it here: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf)
This means that in four years, when she graduates, hopefully, as we continue to grow in this area, she will have enough foundational knowledge
So I’m curious. I would love to challenge you to pull up the U.S. Naturalization Test from 1986 on Google. Did you know that 75% of immigrants can pass this test? Meanwhile, most adults in America—actual U.S. citizens—cannot pass it. There are studies that support this. (See the test here; https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf)
As a challenge, quiz your kids. Ask them questions like: Who was the first president? What did Abraham Lincoln accomplish? Discuss how our country runs. What kind of economic system are we using in this country? Is it communism? Is it a free market? Have them engage with you about how our government is set up.
Our job as parents is to train our kids to be the next generation of voters, thinkers, doers, movers, and shakers.
So, that’s my little challenge for you. If you’re in Virginia and want to know more about homeschooling, I’ve been doing it for a while. My website is www.thefunschoolers.com. I would love for you to hop on there and check out the other resources we have.
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