Mandatory School Classes

[Dave Gray]

*** stole this idea from Reddit

So, what class that is not taught to everyone in high school, do you think should be taught in high school?

I have 2:

1) Driving - Maybe it's because I live in South Florida, but there's definitely an influx of different cultures that creates an unsafe driving environment.  We might all be abiding by the same laws, but we aren't all following the same rules of the road.  It's not illegal to drive slower in the left lane, but you just shouldn't do it.  It's not against the law not to check your blind spot, but you should learn to do it.  Parallel parking.  These things aren't taught on a driving test.  You drive in a parking lot and that's it.  I think that everyone should learn these things and know how to do them well.  We aren't taught how to drive.  We're tested to show that we can do the minimum, but it's certainly not safe and so much productivity is lost.  I-95 has a wreck on it just about every single day during rush hour.

2) Living Skills - Basic crap.  How to budget for your life.  How to be a smart consumer and understand what you're buying and what's important.  How to choose groceries.  How to write a resume.  Some of this stuff is taught, but it's not a mandatory class.  Everyone needs this.

[Dave Gray]

Side note:  I work in a law firm.  You'd be amazed at the amount of people that can't follow simple directions.  We send over documents that need to be reviewed and signed.  People are incapable.  In certain cases, we'll send out sample letters and they'll just sign their names at the bottom.  In other cases, they will sign randomly or not all all.  Some things need to be notarized and they're sent back without.

I'm not suggesting that we specifically teach people how to review documents, but just to read/understand directions, whether it be a basic contract, reading a voting ballot, or putting together furniture from a set of plans.

[Pappy13]

They had driver's education in High School when I went. I think the trend is moving away from that being a high school taught thing. I don't really see any problems with that, it's still usually promoted through the schools, it's just not something taught by the school.

Just making a class mandatory doesn't mean that kids will be skilled in it when they graduate high school. Look at the number of kids that graduate high school today and can barely read, write and do basic math. I think if we did a better job of teaching those basics, you wouldn't need a "living skills" class so much. You'd be able to make out a budget, balance your check book, read the label on groceries and figure out which was a better buy, healthier, etc. The problem isn't that the skills aren't being taught, it's that the skills aren't being learned.

[el diablo]

Lobbyists would kill a mandatory basic skills course that teaches budgeting. I can already see the uproar on Fox. "The government is trying to tell kids how to run their lives."

[Buddhagirl]

I took driver's ed in high school.

I think there should be a basic finance class. I'm amazed at how some people have no clue about managing their money. I also think sex ed should  be mandatory. It will never happen because people are terrified of sex, but I'm blown away by some of the shit I hear from young people about sex. It's a basic human function. Everyone should be educated on it.

[Dave Gray]

^ Word on sex, though I've always had it taught in every school I've been in.  I heard a friend of mine say once "I heard about this girl that got pregnant because semen seeped through her bellbutton."  He was totally serious.  He was like 16.  Terrifying.

[Brian Fein]

Problem Solving:
Too many people see a problem and then try to pay their way out of it.  Or sue their way out of it.

Interpersonal Relations:
How to act in society without being a total asshole.

[badger6]

Actually, I think that there should be some type of trade or skill taught (kinda like votech but on a much bigger scale) to everyone throughout high school. College is highly overrated. As far as I'm concerned it is the one of the biggest scams put on this country. Most people don't need college or the debt that comes with it.

[Dave Gray]

^ I think you're way off, but strangely, we agree on parts of what you're saying.

For those that seek higher education in the fields that it helps, I think that college is great.  I think that all parents should try to plan for their kids to have the opportunity to go, should it fit them.
Where I think that we fail is to assume that the college track is the only track towards higher learning.

But I do think that we should encourage some kind of advanced education for everyone after high school.

There's nothing wrong with repairing A/C units for a living.  It's a job that we need and there's no reason that it be relegated to high school dropouts.  It'd be nice to see schools prepare kids who choose that path with not only the basics of that trade, but the basics of how to manage their finances, run a business, treat employees, interact with customers, etc.  It's great that kids can talk Calculus in college.  ...but it's not for everyone.

[Landshark]

2) Living Skills - Basic crap.  How to budget for your life.  How to be a smart consumer and understand what you're buying and what's important.  How to choose groceries.  How to write a resume.  Some of this stuff is taught, but it's not a mandatory class.  Everyone needs this.

I totally agree with this one.  What good is learning all the kings of England in the 15th and 16th centuries if you can't balance a checkbook, write a resume, tie a tie, or dress for a job interview?

Just making a class mandatory doesn't mean that kids will be skilled in it when they graduate high school. Look at the number of kids that graduate high school today and can barely read, write and do basic math.

I have to agree here as well.  The quality of work from my students has steadily declined over the years.  Leads me to believe that their handing out high school diplomas like paper towels.

[Buddhagirl]

^ Word on sex, though I've always had it taught in every school I've been in.  I heard a friend of mine say once "I heard about this girl that got pregnant because semen seeped through her bellbutton."  He was totally serious.  He was like 16.  Terrifying.

I've heard absolutely ridiculous things. I was fortunate that my parents actually explained sex, birth control, and STD's to me at an early age. So, it wasn't a mystery for me and I knew exactly what to do to keep from getting pregnant. Not everyone's parents are that forward-thinking and it's unfortunate.

I would have been pissed learning a trade in high school. I am not good at working with my hands. I think it should be a valid option though. Maybe at 16 or so, if you decide you're not headed to college start learning a trade. My friends that are plumbers, AC techs, etc. are doing great.

[CF DolFan]

I've heard absolutely ridiculous things. I was fortunate that my parents actually explained sex, birth control, and STD's to me at an early age. So, it wasn't a mystery for me and I knew exactly what to do to keep from getting pregnant. Not everyone's parents are that forward-thinking and it's unfortunate.

Isn't the basics of sex taught in Biology? I mean, I can't understand how you could learn about the reproductive system and think semen in the belly button would get you pregnant.  Let's be honest ... some people are just not smart enough to think things through.

[Buddhagirl]

Isn't the basics of sex taught in Biology? I mean, I can't understand how you could learn about the reproductive system and think semen in the belly button would get you pregnant.  Let's be honest ... some people are just not smart enough to think things through.

The basics from a biological angle are taught, but that doesn't help people learn about birth control and STD's. People are dumb and need to be told outright how it all works.

[Dave Gray]

Isn't the basics of sex taught in Biology? I mean, I can't understand how you could learn about the reproductive system and think semen in the belly button would get you pregnant.  Let's be honest ... some people are just not smart enough to think things through.

Biology brushes over that stuff, once. 

I think that sex ed needs to be taught pretty regularly, alongside other general health stuff.

[Phishfan]

We had most everything that is mentioned, but none of it was mandatory. Sex Ed was part of Health, but I think kids could opt out (I don't remember anyone doing that). Diver's Ed was mandatory by the state (it has since dropped I believe) but you could take it privately over the summer if your birthday fell that way. I believe we had a "living skills" class as well. There were several trade classes as well. All of it available, but elective.