It’s incredible. Over 60 percent of Gen Z don’t know what America’s 250th anniversary commemorated, and fewer than half of all Americans know that their state has its own constitution. Meanwhile, most of the nation’s universities don’t require a single general education course in American history or government.
The good news is, some American universities have established civic schools to help solve America’s civics crisis. But sadly, these institutions are under attack from an academic establishment more interested in teaching about race, gender and oppression than our founding principles.
A new Goldwater Institute report, Educating Citizens for the Next 250 Years: Promoting the Flourishing of Civics Schools at Public Universities, offers a roadmap that will ensure the autonomy and independence of civics schools.
Goldwater proposes a model policy that includes guaranteeing the schools can hire their own faculty, offer degree programs, and place courses in their university’s academic catalog without the approval of other departments or administrators. It would also give full-time civics school faculty the right to take legal action against a university for violating their independence.
The need for enhanced civics education is clear: a majority of the American public doesn’t know basic facts about our country. Meanwhile, Civics schools have a vital mission—Goldwater is here to help them achieve it.
Read more here.
It should go without saying—the government has no business requiring private citizens to install recording equipment in their homes for government inspection. But that’s exactly what the state of California requires home-based firearms dealers to do. The Goldwater Institute is now urging the full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reject this unprecedented invasion of privacy and to uphold the First and Fourth amendments.
Goldwater filed a brief in the case of Richards v. Newsom, which involves an attorney and licensed firearms dealer who works from home. He’s challenging a new California law that requires him to install cameras and microphones in his workspace and to maintain the recordings for at least a year. Over the summer, a three-judge panel issued a troubling ruling dismissing his challenge—the panel said no Fourth Amendment search occurs when the government simply requires the recordings. That’s wrong: the constitutional injury occurs when the state orders the recording equipment turned on, not just when a government agent presses play.
If California is allowed to mandate recording equipment for licensed firearms dealers, there’s no reason to believe they won’t do the same for other home businesses. The Goldwater Institute will continue to defend a basic promise of American liberty: Your home doesn’t stop being private just because you work there.
Read more here.
Here’s an inconvenient fact opponents of Arizona’s Proposition 320 don’t want you to know: While the state’s public schools are receiving a record-breaking $15,597 per student, school districts aren’t using it to pay their teachers more. That’s according to a new report from the nonpartisan Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, writes Matt Beienburg, the Goldwater Institute’s Director of Education policy. With Prop 320, Arizona voters can ensure this additional money finally goes into the classroom, where it belongs.
Adjusted for inflation, Arizona public schools now receive about $1,800 more per student than they did in 2001—that’s $36,000 more per classroom of 20 students. Yet during that same period, teacher pay dropped when adjusted for inflation. The reason: school districts rerouted the extra money they received from taxpayers to non-instructional uses. That includes inflated superintendent salaries and benefits, wasteful spending on vacant and underused facilities, and even employee trips, including a jaunt to Caeser’s Palace in Las Vegas.
That’s why the Goldwater Institute is backing Prop 320, which will require that 60% of districts’ budgets go to direct instructional expenses. Prop 320 will help restore Arizona’s public schools to their true purpose—ensuring that every kid receives a quality education.
Read more here.
For more on where Goldwater stands on the 2026 Arizona ballot, click here.
