WASHINGTON - The nation's schools are telling an unbalanced story of their own country, offering students plenty about America's failings but not enough about its values and freedoms, says a report drawing support across the ideological spectrum.
Without a change of approach, schools will continue to turn out large numbers of students who are disengaged in society and unappreciative of democracy, the report contends.
Produced by the nonpartisan Albert Shanker Institute, "Education for Democracy" is the latest effort to try to strengthen the nation's underwhelming grasp of civics and history. Authors hope it will lead to curriculum changes and, in the short term, stir debate about today's social studies classes as people reflect on the terrorist attacks of two years ago.
Beyond its provocative findings, the report is notable for the range of people and groups supporting it, from Republicans...
