Declining Interest In The Humanities

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Policy makers long have been pushing the "hard sciences" and the need for more students in math, biology and engineering courses to enhance our global competitiveness. Yet many of our greatest scientists went to liberal arts colleges.

Recent data from Indicators, a Cambridge, MA academy was shocking. The number of those taking humanities degrees, as a proportion of all bachelor's degrees, declined 46% over the past 30 years and that 28% of high school students in 2003-2004 were taught history by teachers without certification or a post-secondary degree.

Moreover, high school grads failed to demonstrate basic knowledge in history, civics and economics on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, so important in understanding our democracy.

As an antidote to the slipping status of the humanities, a commission has been announced to determine 10 actions the nation should take to improve teaching and research in the humanities and social sciences in K-12 and in higher education, with opportunities for public input to be completed in 18 -24 months.

Read more about this bipartisan Congressionally-requested effort in Education Week.

Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio