09/17/2026
Today is and The Department of Education wants to use this day to address what it describes as a widening gap in “civic literacy” and declining national pride among young Americans.
Secretary McMahon pointed specifically to data showing that fewer than six in ten Americans ages 18–29 report feeling “very proud” to be American.
She wrote:
“To thrive for the next 250 years, we must understand, cherish, and claim the ideals, history, responsibilities, and civic traditions that unite us.”
I wouldn’t automatically assume lack of civic literacy is based solely on exposure.
Maybe the declining national pride among young people isn't just a civic-literacy problem.
Perhaps young people are indeed paying attention.
Paying attention to an ongoing war with Iran and a regional conflict that keeps widening.
Paying attention to Palestinians who are still being killed and displaced.
Paying attention to the price of food their parents are struggling to buy.
Paying attention to whether their families, friends, and neighbors can afford to stay housed.
Maybe the problem isn’t that young people don’t understand America.
Maybe they understand it just fine.
And perhaps if we want the next generation of students to feel proud of being American, we need to do some s**t worth being proud of.
