Colleges urged to teach patriotism to combat student disconnection

American colleges are being urged to reintroduce patriotism into their curricula, a call that has sparked debate across campuses nationwide. The Hill published an op‑ed this week arguing that, 250 years after the Declaration, institutions should teach students to love their country while encouraging critical thinking. The piece cites a growing sense that the nation’s founding principles are being eroded by a curriculum that some say focuses too heavily on “divisive” topics.

The push comes amid a broader national conversation about civic engagement. In the past decade, college campuses have seen protests over textbook selections, “critical race theory” debates, and the removal of books that some faculty claim glorify American history. Meanwhile, a 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 60 % of undergraduates feel disconnected from a sense of national identity. Proponents of a patriotism curriculum argue that a shared narrative can counteract polarization, especially as younger generations grow up in a media environment that often frames American politics in zero‑sum terms.

Reactions are mixed. Some professors welcome the idea, noting that courses on American government already cover the Constitution and the Bill of Rights but rarely delve into why those documents