Far too many of the foreign students at American colleges and universities who pay full tuition engage in appalling protests. So much so that we risk forgetting the original point of the J-1 Visa program that allows them to study in the U.S.

In today’s Martin Center article, Charlton Allen explains that purpose and argues that we ought to restore the program as it was intended.

He writes:

The J-1 visa program was created under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 and was designed as more than an avenue for international students and scholars to visit the United States. At its core, the program was a diplomatic initiative designed to strengthen cultural and educational ties between the United States and the world.

The expectation was that the foreign students would learn about American traditions, culture, governance. Back in the ’60s, that was a significant part of the curriculum at most schools. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. Today, students are more likely to hear about how terrible this country is from their professors.

Allen continues:

Institutions need clear guidelines, strong accountability standards, and meaningful oversight to accomplish this. State governments and university boards can lead this effort by setting standards that ensure J-1 participants leave the U.S. with academic credits and a genuine understanding of American civic life.

That will require a lot of oversight, something that has been lacking at most institutions and at the governmental level. Let’s hope that the Trump administration is up to the task.

Read the whole thing.