To the Journal editor:

I am writing regarding the article printed two weekends ago in The Mining Journal detailing a visit from First Congressional District Representative Jack Bergman.

In the article, Representative Bergman is paraphrased as saying 18-year-olds have no concept of civics, American history or constitutional government. He is then quoted as saying, “Our middle schools and high schools do not teach American history,” calling the situation “disturbing.”

He has since tried to backpedal on those statements, but needs to understand he can’t just say things that aren’t true to fire up his voter base.

What is truly “disturbing” is a state representative making decisions on the educational policies that impact every student and teacher in Michigan’s public schools who is unaware of our state’s academic requirements.

If he were aware, he would know students have both civics and U.S. History as part of the social studies curriculum in middle school, and that you cannot graduate without taking both a U.S. History and civics course.

As a history teacher at Superior Central High School in Eben Junction, I spend a great deal of time trying to instill a love of history in my students.

At our tiny school, we also offer Advanced Placement U.S. History as an elective. Our students who take this college-level history class are always well above the national average, with almost all of them earning college credits.

The same holds true for civics. Superior Central participates in the Michigan Youth in Government program every year, with delegation sizes ranging from 20-30+ students.

We travel to Lansing every March and the students’ objective is to get the bill they’ve written passed through both chambers of the Legislature and have it signed by the Governor.

Our students get first-hand experience with how a bill becomes law, and how the Legislature and Governor work together. To say my students are lacking in civic education is a huge misstatement.

It is incredibly insulting for teachers like me who go above and beyond — including giving up Sundays and summer days — to teach students to be completely dismissed by a politician who has never led a classroom.

Such demeaning statements contribute to a teacher shortage in this state and represent a complete lack of respect for a profession so integral to the success of the future of our state and nation.

Mr. Bergman, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Sincerely,