English Should not be Compulsory in High School

[Roger Ramjets]

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.

It depends on what we are wanting from the education system. Do we just want complaint workers, or do we want talented people who make society better?

Back in 1969 when I graduated from primary school, the headmaster gave a speech about our future career choices. He said there were 'blue collar' workers and 'white collar' workers, and that being one of the top students was essential if we wanted to join the latter group (who would enjoy a higher socioeconomic status). I wasn't impressed. What he said may have been 'true', but it seemed unfair.

Then I went to high school and found out that it was true. I was immediately streamed into the 'professional' class, where we would get the best teachers and learn all the top stuff. Luckily I did get two hours a week of metalwork, though I didn't get much out of it because the teacher was a drunkard who spent most of the time in his office. Students with poor academic records got streamed into the 'technical' class, which majored in trades. That's where my brother landed, and spent the next 3 years barely learning anything useful. He didn't learn to read and write properly until after he left school at age 15.

My opinion is that schools should do both, and each subject should be given equal weight. Furthermore every student should get something out of it, even if they don't show aptitude. IMO we were expected to know far more than was necessary to achieve a 'baseline' understanding of core subjects. The result of that cramming was that most students didn't even really get the basics - it was just 'schoolwork' that they would forget as soon as they left.

I don't know what schools teach today or how they do it. Is there somewhere I can find out about that? It would be nice to think that the education system has changed for the better and I am arguing against a straw man.

 

[The Atheist]

Is there somewhere I can find out about that? It would be nice to think that the education system has changed for the better and I am arguing against a straw man.

Ask away. The last of my kids is in Year 13, NCEA Level 3 this year and I've always been very close to the inside, from being daddy helper in Year 1 to coaching rugby and soccer teams to Year 10.

There have been very few changes from what you describe, and you and I clearly went through the exact same secondary schooling, except our metalwork teacher wasn't an alcoholic but was a sadistic Pommy ◊◊◊◊.

English, Maths and History are surprisingly unchanged. They have a lot more career-based options of classes, but they don't appear to be much improvement on what we did as electives. My boy is a computer geek and he's found the digital tech classes so far beneath his skills it's laughable.

Same as it always has been, a place to dump kids for the day and try to impart some basic knowledge.