Utah Enacts Landmark Civic Education Reform with Focus on Western Civilization
Governor Spencer Cox signs Senate Bill 334, launching the Center for Civic Excellence at Utah State University to pilot a structured curriculum aimed at revitalizing civic education statewide.
- Senate Bill 334 mandates a 12-credit course on Western civilization and a 3-credit course on American civics for Utah State University students.
- The curriculum emphasizes Western great books, including works by Homer and Shakespeare, while incorporating select non-Western texts like those by Lao Tzu and Chinua Achebe.
- The law includes a transparency provision requiring public posting of syllabi, instructor names, and reading lists for all courses.
- The initiative, supported by bipartisan legislative backing, aims to promote critical thinking, civil discourse, and appreciation of free institutions.
- The program will be piloted at Utah State University before expanding to all state universities, with the potential to serve as a national model for education reform.
Washington Examiner 
The Federalist 
The Salt Lake Tribune 