One-third of American 8th graders think Canada is a dictatorship

[Zeph]

The days of politically frustrated Americans declaring "That's it, I'm moving to Canada!" could soon be coming to an end — at least among teenagers who value freedom and equality.

According to the U.S. government's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 33 per cent of American eight graders currently believe that Canada is a dictatorship.

This finding was one of many revealed by the NCES in its 2014 National Assessment of Educational Progress report when it was released late last month.

Alternately called "The Nation's Report Card," the publication presents the results of standardized tests given to more than 29,000 eighth-grade students across the U.S. last year.

The students who participated in the assessment were given multiple-choice and open-ended questions pertaining to the subjects of U.S. history, geography and civics.

"National results for representative samples of students are reported as average scale scores and as percentages of students performing at three achievement levels: Basic, Proficient, and Advanced," reads the publication's description on the NCES website. "Additional results are reported based on students' demographic characteristics and educational experiences... Trend results are reported for previous assessment years in these three subjects."

Sample questions (and information about how students performed on them) can be viewed within an interactive online version of the report at NAEP - Nation's Report Card Home

It was here that reporters learned of how many young Americans may actually think Canada has more in common with North Korea, politically, than with our neighbours to the South.

Continued at: One-third of American 8th graders think Canada is a dictatorship - Trending - CBC News

 

[sparkuri]

1/2 don't know what a dictatorship is.

 

[Psychotropic Wanderlust]

no offense to the multitude of Americans on here, but for the most part, Americans are dumb as rocks when it comes to geography of Canada or the world for that matter.

everywhere I go in America and meet new people they ask where I am from, I tell them Vancouver BC (because god knows they dont know where Kelowna etc is) and they still dont know where that is. I get blank stares. so I end up saying "about 5 hours northeast of Seattle". even then that works only half the time.

 

[Star-Lord]

Hahahaha why do I still live here

 

[Priziesthorse]

Who cares about Canada?

 

[jason73]

no offense to the multitude of Americans on here, but for the most part, Americans are dumb as rocks when it comes to geography of Canada or the world for that matter.

everywhere I go in America and meet new people they ask where I am from, I tell them Vancouver BC (because god knows they dont know where Kelowna etc is) and they still dont know where that is. I get blank stares. so I end up saying "about 5 hours northeast of Seattle". even then that works only half the time.

they are also under the impression that it is a frozen wasteland and mounties are riding around on moose chasing indians for taking too many beaver pelts

 

[ThatOneDude]

they are also under the impression that it is a frozen wasteland and mounties are riding around on moose chasing indians for taking too many beaver pelts

Wait.... My of mean to tell me they aren't? Isn't Canada where the wildlings live?

 

[Splinty]

In fine with this. Brings a tear to my goddamn eye!

 

[lookoutawhale]

whoa the what.

 

[Punch]