What Teens Don't know?

A new study of U.S. teens finds many lack knowledge of basic things that some experts say help form the underpinnings of a common culture.

According to an article in USA Today, among 1,200 17-year-olds surveyed:

• 43 percent knew the Civil War was fought between 1850 and 1900.
• 52 percent could identify the theme of 1984.
• 51 percent knew that the controversy surrounding Sen. Joseph McCarthy focused on communism.

Looking at the glass as half-full, as pundits and journalists seldom do, one might say lots of teens know something about their country’s history. Indeed, 88 percent knew the bombing of Pearl Harbor led our country into World War II. One reason so many knew that: It’s taught in school.

So, let me see if I get this: If we teach teens something, they learn it. If we fail to, then we complain that half of them don’t know it. Sure, teens can be lazy (and fail to do chores, and seem simply to not care). But these poll results are as much a reflection on our education system as on teens.