Louise Slaughter: “in 1988, National Endowment for the Humanities issued a report concluding that more than 80 percent of colleges and…”

“in 1988, National Endowment for the Humanities issued a report concluding that more than 80 percent of colleges and universities permitted students to graduate without taking a course in American history. Now, thirteen years later, standards have fallen even further with 78 percent of America's elite college and universities not requiring their student to take any history course at all. The results of this lackadaisical approach to learning and understanding our own country's history is devastating. In a survey conducted by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, only 23 percent of the students surveyed correctly identified James Madison as the ``Father of the Constitution'' while 54 percent incorrectly identified Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, the final results of the survey are equally embarrassing, with 65 percent of the students receiving a 59 percent or an ``F'' grade. This is unacceptable. The poor performance of these students from America's top universities and colleges should serve as a wake-up call to Members of Congress that the academic quality of our history education programs is deteriorating to the point of no return.”