Politics & Government

Bill Would Make Civics a Core Curriculum

Addiego, Rudder, Delany also want to withhold funds from colleges with enrolled students illegally in the country.

State Senator Dawn Marie Addiego and Assemblymen Scott Rudder and Pat Delany want the Department of Education to create a core curriculum content area for civics so that students will have a more thorough understanding of government and how it works.

“Our goal is to provide every student with the foundation that is needed to exercise responsible citizenship,” said Addiego. “A well-educated electorate is the single best protection for our American way of life. And this change of emphasis can be done without any additional expense for the taxpayers.”

The bill is a reaction to a survey given to 14,000 college students who answered 60 multiple-choice questions about American history, government, international relations and market economy. The average score was barely 50 percent.

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“It is astounding that our students are going off to college with inadequate knowledge of their own government,” Delany said. “We have to better initiate students in the fundamental aspects of Americanism and encourage them to become active participants in the process that forms the foundation of our liberties.”

The legislators point to the fact that only 20 percent of registered voters vote in school board elections as an indication of this failure by the schools to teach civics.

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In other news, Addiego, Rudder and Delany introduced legislation that will withhold state operating aid of any public or independent college enrolling students who are not lawfully present in the United States.

“Hard-working, tax-paying Americans, who follow the rules, are struggling to pay their fair share and to educate their own children. The use of taxpayers’ money for the benefit of people who refuse to follow the rules is unacceptable,” Rudder said.

The bill specifies that colleges and universities will not be eligible to receive state operating aid in any fiscal year in which students, determined not to be lawfully present in the country, are enrolled.

This year’s state budget includes almost $850 million in aid for colleges. The numbers remain the same in the proposed FY 2012 budget–more than $714 million for state schools, and $134.8 million for county colleges.

“Laws need to be followed. Our bill protects the rights of the majority of us who do follow the rules,” Addiego said. “State money sent to the schools is intended to subsidize education of our citizens, not for individuals who are trying to beat the system.”

Many of New Jersey’s two- and four-year schools have a policy of disregarding the legal status of applicants.

“We are bringing to an end the indefensible practice of using hard-earned tax money from our citizens to take seats in our colleges away from Americans and give them to people who are illegally living in this country,” Delany said. “Our legislation assures we will be more responsible with our limited educational resources and precious taxpayer dollars.”


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