84% Believe Students Should Be Taught The Truth About Slavery; 81% Believe They Should Be Taught America Founded on Noble Ideals

Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters believe public schools should teach the truth about slavery. At the same time, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 81% believe public schools should teach that America was founded on the ideals of freedom, equality, and self-governance.

Combining the results shows that 72% of voters believe both should be taught.

Another question found that 42% believe the schools should teach that America was founded on racism, slavery, and white supremacy. Forty-four percent (44%) disagree.

Overall, 40% believe students should be taught that America was founded on noble ideals, but not that the nation was founded on racism. Thirty percent (30%) believe both should be taught. Eleven percent (11%) say that the noble ideals should be taught and are not sure about racism. Nine percent (9%) believe schools should teach that the nation was founded on racism but not that it was founded upon noble ideals.

Finally, 64% believe that schools should teach that America is a force for good in the world. Fifteen percent (15%) disagree and 21% are not sure.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of those who support Trump-like policies believe that students should be taught that America is a force for good. So do 73% of traditional Democrats and 70% of traditional Republicans.

However, among those who support policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders, just 42% think students should learn that America is a force for good. Thirty percent (30%) of Sanders’ supporters say that positive message should not be taught while 28% are not sure.

Given a choice between four presidential candidates with equal skills and temperament, 31% would prefer a Republican who supported policies like those of President Trump. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 20% would prefer a Democrat who supported policies similar to Senator Bernie Sanders, 19% favor a more traditional Democrat, and 17% a more traditional Republican.

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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Question 1:

Please indicate whether each of the following should be taught in public schools: The truth about slavery in America

84%    Yes

7%    No

9%    Not sure

Question 2:

Please indicate whether each of the following should be taught in public schools: America was founded on the ideals of freedom, equality, and self-governance

81%    Yes

11%    No

7%    Not sure

Question 3:

Please indicate whether each of the following should be taught in public schools: America was founded on racism, slavery, and white supremacy

42%    Yes

44%    No

15%    Not sure

Question 4:

Please indicate whether each of the following should be taught in public schools: That the United States is a force for good in the world

64%    Yes

15%    No

21%    Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on December 16-17, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

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