CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The North Carolina House of Representatives recently approved a bill that requires North Carolina college students to take a U.S. history or government class to graduate.
“If we do not teach our children what this country is, what it was, its imperfections, its advances … we will not continue as a country,” Rep. Keith Kidwell said.
Under the legislation, students would be required to read a number of historical documents, including the U.S. Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, essays from The Federalist Papers and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
North Carolina college leaders could face removal from office if they fail to implement the mandate over more than one academic year.
The measure would take into effect during the 2024-2025 school year and would apply to first-year students seeking an associate or bachelor’s degree. Students could be exempted if they pass the corresponding Advanced Placement test.