English Should not be Compulsory in High School

[Thermal]

IRL name being shouted would have been very much funnier.

Your IRL name wouldn't be Richard Hertz, would it?

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Could be. :strokesbeard:

 

[The Atheist]

Worst name I came across at school was a boy whose parents were obviously ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ morons.

Surname King, so they named him Wayne.

 

[Roger Ramjets]

Worst name I came across at school was a boy whose parents were obviously ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ morons.

Surname King, so they named him Wayne.

One of my classmates was named Wayne King. I never made the connection until now, so thanks for that (not). Actually I wouldn't have understood even if someone had pointed it out, because I didn't even know what 'Wayne King' was until I was 20.

 

[The Atheist]

...I didn't even know what 'Wayne King' was until I was 20.

Where did you go to school, Antarctica?

I'm pretty sure we didn't go to the same school, so two idiots sets of Kings at least.

 

[arthwollipot]

I'm going to change this guy's name for privacy reasons, but I'll keep the initials.

I went to school with Normy O'Bright. Guess what we all called him.

 

[Darat]

Norm?

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Worst name I came across at school was a boy whose parents were obviously ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ morons.

Surname King, so they named him Wayne.

:snarf:

 

[ahhell]

Took me a bit to get the Wayne King thing, not a commonly used expression in the US, it would have to be....Gerry King but they call him Ger?

I'm going to start a chain of mall kiosks that sells perserved meats, Jerky King.

 

[novaphile]

One of my classmates was named Wayne King. I never made the connection until now, so thanks for that (not). Actually I wouldn't have understood even if someone had pointed it out, because I didn't even know what 'Wayne King' was until I was 20.

Reminds me of the old commercials.

"I used to think that Wan King was a city in China until I discovered Smirnoff."

 

[arthwollipot]

Norm?

Nob.

 

[gypsyjackson]

Nob.

Hey, steady on, he was only asking.

 

[Reformed Offlian]

Worst name I came across at school was a boy whose parents were obviously ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ morons.

Surname King, so they named him Wayne.

Did he have a brother named Boyne?

 

[Roger Ramjets]

Where did you go to school, Antarctica?

I grew up on a farm in an isolated rural area of Hawke's Bay. I didn't associate with other kids in the playground because they beat me up. In high school it was the same. I hated break periods until I was given the job of lab monitor, then I hid in the lab. I did have one friend but he came from a religious family and didn't trash talk (mostly we shared our interests in photography and other hobbies). Interestingly his father once accused me of 'corrupting' him, which surprised me. I was the least corrupting person you could possibly know.

I did overhear other kids calling each other 'wankers', but didn't know what it meant. I presumed it was just another generic insult. Our family didn't use the common swear words either. It was quite a shock to discover how much other people did.

This reminds me of the movie 'Falling Down', where the cop was admonished by his boss for not 'cussing' and the other cops played practical jokes on him. I had a particular affinity with that cop, who was just trying to do a good job of upholding the law (he gets back on his boss at the end of the movie - in the most ironical way).

 

[The Atheist]

That's an unfortunate start to life.

My house was the exact opposite. Swearing was standard English, with the sole exception of the big C word if the old lady was in earshot.

Even dad got whacked if that one slipped out.

 

[Gubiosak]

I can understand both sides of this discussion. Perhaps English should be encouraged in high school, but not necessarily made compulsory for every student.

 

[theprestige]

I don't know about English, but high schoolers should probably be taught how to handle a revolving line of credit, and how to manage a household budget.

 

[Thermal]

I don't know about English, but high schoolers should probably be taught how to handle a revolving line of credit, and how to manage a household budget.

I've said many times that my most practically valuable class I took was Home Economics (that I took because there were a lot of babes in it). We covered household budgeting, making simple healthy meals, what staple goods to have in a home, sewing and laundering and cleaning and a ton of other helpful things that our parents had been handling.

English, though- I think is indispensable, even in the upper years of schooling. It's so much more than literature. It demonstrates reading comprehension, writing ability, ample vocabulary, command of grammar... you know, effective communication skills. Math will broadly be useful for those going into STEM fields, but effective communication is universally needed.

 

[theprestige]

I think a heavier emphasis on civics and trades, rather than the arts and sciences, is probably a good thing, and would probably meet the need for baseline language and math proficiency.

 

[Thermal]

Civics, definitely. The trades, probably do better without offering them, except maybe as electives. 14 and 15 yr olds shouldn't be locking h in their career arc so tightly..Expose them to everything as adolescents, and let them.pick their own specific job training as young adults.