News Alert: SXU's Matthew Costello Quoted in Daily Southtown

The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation recently undertook the task to survey 41,000 Americans with basic questions regarding American history and government. The results of this surveyed showed only 40 percent passed with more than half taking the survey in the state of Illinois failing. In response to these results, political science teachers throughout Chicago are attempting to explain why more than half of Americans would fail a modern civics test if asked to participate.

In a recent article published to the Daily Southtown, a number of educators offered their take on these results and their insight into the increasing complexity behind political operations. Saint Xavier University's Matthew Costello, Ph.D., professor of political science and chair of the department of history and political science, offered his analysis of the results and stated that the Wilson Foundation's results were most likely accurate.

"We have a difficult form of government," said Costello. "It's very complex and being politically savvy is not something that's at the top of everyone's list."

Costello went on to state that many Americans are cynical of modern politics and that further engaging individuals through civic education has been proven to increase participation in the political process.

To read the full article, visit the Chicago Tribune website.

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