Dhara
Gold Member
- Jan 1, 2015
- 7,098
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Proposed:
The modern generations are not being taught our history, our Constitution, or basic civics. They aren't being taught the reasoning of the Founders or about the great philosophers who informed them. Modern day students are not being required to study the Founding Documents or the circumstance that encouraged people to risk everything to come here and then to form a new nation.
They are not being taught basic economics, the principles of supply and demand in a free market system, the pros and cons of economic systems, or all the effect of government programs. The are not exposed to or encouraged to hear all points of view or use critical thinking to evaluate them.
They are spoon fed sound bites and slogans and the politically correct dogma of the day. Or what they know is gleaned from bits and pieces of internet sources or sounds bites from television or message boards. In short, too often they are being indoctrinated and effectively brainwashed instead of educated.
Some anecdotal evidence:
youtube watters world interviews - Bing video
youtube people can't answer political questions - Bing video
QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION: Should basic history as described here be core curriculum, and should students have a reasonable command of it before graduating high school and college? Why or why not is that important?
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Interesting contrast in the video. I would have had no clue whatsoever about the last two quesitons on "Snookie" and Brad Pitt. None whatsoever.
Obviously they've bought the idea that that sort of thing is more important than knowing basic --- really really basic -- history.
That doesn't mean they're not being taught that history --- it means they've put it on the bottom of the priority list.
Would they put it on the bottom of their priority list if it was required to graduate from high school? To get into college? To graduate from college?
Observation: Most of those educated in the 1940's, 50's, 60's, 70's, and probably most of the 80's would probably be able to answer all those questions EXCEPT for the media based ones. But education has deteriorated greatly since then.
I agree with you that education has deteriorated. I suspect we may disagree with the reaons why we think that is the case.
My experience with watching my son transition from 8th grade to high school, and also working in his classroom is that a select few students with good family support are able to get what they need to go to college, but the majority of kids are tuned out to "hard" topics. Which is most of what's needed to succeed in higher education.
I can see a difference between my high school sophmore and my second grader. We are in the process of adopting these kids and their prior parenting model was very soft on education. I am sure the 7, 10 and 12 year old will succeed in life, but if I'm lucky, the youngest two will go to college.