Teach children that America is a good country, say teachers

The average public-school teacher is not a blue-haired harridan trying to turn your children into mini-Marxists. Most public-school teachers "believe schools should teach that America is a fundamentally good country," according to a recent EdChoice/Morning Consult survey. Even more than the general public or parents, teachers said it was "very" or "extremely important" to instill a sense of patriotism and teach about the Constitution and America's core values.

Teachers, parents and the general public also agreed that students should learn to question the policies and actions of the government, write Brian Kisida, Colyn G. Ritter, James V. Shuls and Gary Ritter in Education Next.

Thirty-four percent of teachers -- and 36 percent of the public -- said it was "very" or "extremely important" to teach that "the U.S. was, and still, is a fundamentally racist country."

Younger teachers -- and younger Americans -- are less likely to prioritize teaching about America's virtues, and there's a big gap between Republicans and Democrats. However, there's a broad consensus on teaching about the Constitution and core values, the survey found.

"We suspect much of the partisan ire directed at teachers is misplaced and might more appropriately be directed toward those who claim to speak on behalf of teachers —education school faculty, education professional associations, and teachers unions, who tend to be more left-leaning than the teacher workforce," the authors write.

Remember teachers who espouse mainstream views aren't likely to "go viral."

That echoes others public opinion polls. A USC survey found a huge partisan gap in support for reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, but "near-universal agreement on teaching the Constitution — supported by 93 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of Republicans," they write. Similarly, a recent Florida State poll found that "more than 85 percent of voters support teaching students about the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution."