"An illuminating exposé on the deafening polemics and politics entrenched in American civics education. Schools make citizens. Certainly, the founders of America thought so: they wholeheartedly believed that democracy depends on the diffusion of public, universal, and secular education. Today, all American children study history, with virtually all taking one or more courses in government. Yet the typical American student is stunningly ignorant in these subjects: in the 2022 tests administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 20 percent of students scored at the "proficient" level in civics, and 31 percent fell "below basic." THE CRADLE OF CITIZENSHIP chronicles James Traubs year of observing public schools across the country, weaving in topics such as the history of civic education, the debates between partisans of the 1619 Project and 1776 Report, and the state of Floridas "war on woke." Traub documents and compares different approaches to civics and history: the unitary, value-focused visions of schools in more conservative areas, and the pluralistic, identity-oriented conception of progressive schools. From interviews with teachers, school board members, and instructional providers, to his research of curricular manifestos, state standards, and foundational reports, Traub also maps the polarized pedagogical landscape that hovers above the classroom, pitting some educational goals, such as "mastering skills," against others, such as "memorizing facts.

" Along the way, Traub finds two intriguing new approaches to civics that might provide hope for the future: the project "Educating for American Democracy," a new roadmap available to schools who want to steer clear of red-blue mayhem, and the so-called "classical school," a throwback model based on the study of great books and the conscious molding of character. THE CRADLE OF CITIZENSHIP sheds light on one of the most fundamental, divisive issues of our time-the education of the countrys future generations-while offering practical solutions to ensure their success"-- Provided by publisher.