My wife was
a school teacher. I was a school
teacher and principal. I could go on at
length over what is actually wrong with our public-school system and the logical fixes; but with today’s political cluster-fuck of a government shutdown I will
only address one.
I was
watching the news this morning and saw a poll that blamed 50% of the government
shutdown on Trump, 45% on Democrats in Congress and only 5% on the Republic
Congress. This is just an example of
political ignorance which ends up as partisan cultism.
Civics, how
our government operates, if taught at all, is taught in the sixth grade. The ignorance of the American population
about the operation of their own government is astounding, and our bastardized
understanding of political events comes from whatever TV channel we troll and
our social media connections.
Civics
should be a required class for seniors, and should include a project
on government followed up by a thesis.
Of course,
this is not up to the schools.
Curriculum is decided by federal and state legislators who have never
taught a day in a classroom, and by for profit testing companies. I don’t even need to point out the
disconnect of the Department of Education
A more
educated society would not find themselves in the morass we have today.
The Ol’Buzzard
Education is not what it used to be, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the schools' fault. I took civics courses multiple times in my youth, both in Junior high and high school, and had decent teachers (one was amazing, another was a complete prick, so I'll give them an overall average of decent). When you look around at who are making the absolute dumbest noises and are the most ardent MAGAts, it's not young people as a whole. It's old farts, the geezers who sat through the same curriculum I did, and who have now willfully forgotten all of it. One of the guys in my age cohort, a fellow who was the smartest kid in the class in 1962, is now a birther. It's an American culture that promotes xenophobia, racism, misogyny, and greed and not the schools that we can blame for the Orange Aberration and his acolytes.
ReplyDeleteI got to take comparative government as a junior in high school. Fascinating variations on the democratic theme.
ReplyDeleteThat was in the late 1960s. I have no idea what they teach or don't teach these days.
It's in the best interests of politicians, this ignorance of civics. I agree that high school students should be taught civics thoroughly. Health too. I can't believe how little people know about their bodies and minds when they get a high school diploma.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Chicago and graduated from grammar school in 1959. Before we were allowed to graduate, we had to pass a civic test. If anybody failed, they would not graduate.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand your school system. I thought that the curriculum was decided by the local school board which makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteStandards (testing) are decided on a federal level by the Department of Education. The state Department of Ed. addresses those standards to the school districts and a test of those standards is required not only for graduation but for school funding. Schools who don't meet those standards of testing can find teachers and even principals replaced. Teachers jobs depend on students passing the standardized test. These test are culturally and economically biased. I won't even go into local school boards that hold the Superintendent and principals hostage often with petty complaints.
DeleteO'B