The paper gives reasons why the type of social studies genuinely committed to the education of citizens in a democracy has never flourished in the United States, though such education is crucial to the nation's survival. Social studies, as a discipline, should be utilized to solve social problems and not be a vehicle for imposing a particular…

Criticizes the National Commission on Social Studies in the Schools' report, "Charting a Course: Social Studies for the 21st Century." Questions the report's chronological exposition of history, exclusion of social problems until twelfth grade, emphasis on content, lack of selectivity, and declarative mood. Contends that, by ignoring…