I often wonder what inspires legislators to write certain laws. Take, for instance, HB 319, the bill requiring the university system and community college system students to pass the 2020 version of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization test before they can graduate with a degree.
This is a companion bill to HB 320, which was signed into law by Gov. Sununu last year, that requires all high school students in New Hampshire to pass the citizenship test. Republican representative Michael Moffett has sponsored both bills arguing that there is a lack of knowledge in civics and U.S. government in high schools and colleges.
At a hearing last year in support of HB 320, Moffett criticized some schools for prioritizing lessons about climate change over civics education. This is a broad sweep of criticism of our history and civics teachers and I dare him to provide proof of that claim. (Also, see Mr. Moffett’s My Turn “Manny, freedom and civics,” Monitor, 12/23.)
Of course, the high school law passed largely on party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.
I decided to take a look at the 128 questions for the 2020 version of the citizenship test to see how hard or easy it was. It covers questions relating to (a) principles of American government, (b) system of government, (c) rights and responsibilities, and American History, including (a) colonial period and independence, (b) 1800’s, and (c) recent history and other historical information.
When the civics test is administered to applicants it is given as an oral test during which the applicant is asked 20 questions randomly picked out of the 128 and in order to pass the applicant must successfully answer 12 questions, which is 60%.
Under HB 319, the students must answer all 128 questions and in order to pass they need to answer 70 correctly, which is only a 55% passage rate. In other words, our students can be 5% dumber than new citizens of the United States.
If the applicant for citizenship is 65 years or older, and has been living legally in the U.S. for 20 years or more, they are told in advance which 20 questions they need to study. At the oral exam, they only need to answer ten questions and in order to pass, they must answer six of the questions correctly. That is one of those rare occasions where being older has its advantage.
I read through the questions and answers and I’m pretty sure I would pass the 60% threshold, so I’m going to include a few sample questions to test your civic-mindedness:
How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?
What amendment gives citizenship to all persons in the United States?
When did all men get the right to vote?
When did all women get the right to vote?
Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. Senators?
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
What is the supreme law of the land? (No, it is not Donald Trump!)
If you can answer correctly six of those questions, you too can become a citizen of New Hampshire.
In fact, I think all people running for political office in New Hampshire should be required to answer correctly 77 (60%) of the 128 questions before they can put their name in the hat. We should at least require our legislators to be as civic-minded as new citizens of the U.S., shouldn’t we?
Those who are currently sitting as representatives, senators, executive councilors and governor should be required to take the test in order to keep their jobs, unless they reject the passage of HB 319 and repeal HB 320 and leave the teaching of history and civics to already qualified teachers, who will provide context to the subjects presented so the students are not just being taught to pass a test.
(Susannah Colt lives in Whitefield and can be reached at susannahbcolt@gmail.com.)