The most important subject not taught in school

I think it is the highest duty and calling of every citizen, to know and understand the law, as it is written and enforced. This doesn't necessarily mean attending Law School or even practicing law. It means that as a citizen that is held accountable for knowing the law, you have the power (through knowledge) to keep yourself free from the punishments of unwittingly breaking those laws. The rule of law must be taught from the teachers table to the pool table to the dinner table.

Citizens must also be knowledgeable about who we are electing as legislators. They are the ones drafting and passing bills that get signed into law. If we don't know what kind of people we are putting in office, and we don't know what kinds of laws they are writing, how can we protect ourselves when those very laws are brought to bear upon us?

What do you think?

 

I think you raise a very good point here. In the United States, at least, democracy is often referred to as the double edged sword. The good part is: everyone gets to vote. The bad part? Everyone gets to vote. Many intelligent people are allowed to vote, that may be unable to in other situations. However, people who know absolutely nothing about elections can also vote in elections. People who know nothing about how their careless choice can make a major difference in the lives of many people.

By understanding the law better, and covering more civics courses, it will be far more likely that people will understand how democracy works in action. It also would likely reduce the incarceration rate, as members of a society can understand punishments for crimes they may not have committed, if they had understood the laws better, and enforcement thereof.

 

The basic tenant behind every legal system is the human concept of right and wrong. We are all born with this hardwired into us.

For those who have a "short circuit" for lack of a better term, no amount of schooling will prevent their inevitable decline into crime. Let's examine some of the other possible causes for criminal activity.

Joe Bloggs leads an average life, is of average intelligence and average norms. At some point through mismanagement of his finamces, Joe is forced into taking a bribe or worse to support his family

He was never taught how to balance a check book. Basic credit tools and finances remain a mystery to him, the concept of a budget completely alien.

Imagine for a moment that Joe had been taught these essential skills at school. Hoe many young adults are propelled into the world completely unaware of what awaits them financially or how to deal with credit. Fix this and you remove a major ccontributng factor to petty and and white collar crime, which can and does lead to larger crimes.

Teach these basic life skills at school.

 

The schools in the United Kingdom don’t teach enough life skills like; cooking, cleaning or pay bills which has led to a country of people who don’t have enough life skills to live properly. I think this has contributed to people getting fat as they don’t know how to cook even tho cooking is extremely easy. This is one area where special needs schools are better than mainstream.

 

You have a good point there this because people go to court daily yet they do not understand the legal system and they have to defend themselves. Most of the people do not understand the simple terms used in courts. Also finance should be taught in schools one does not have to go a business school to be taught. One has to understand how money works so that he or she doesn't work for money the rest of their lives instead of money working for them

 

I feel the most important subject not taught in school is taxes and paying bills. Once out of high school and college, a student will have to pay bills, taxes, mortgages, and insurance, regardless of the job that they pursue. Since this is something that applies to every person and not just those pursuing a specific career, I feel schools should teach this to their students. Along with being useful to everyone, it is important that schools teach these skills so that when students get out of school, they already have a head start in the real world and understand what they are doing and can make fewer mistakes.

 

Every thing you have learned is all about the knowledge impacted on you. Understanding nature and creating meaningful skills to develop your community and far beyond. Every teacher is a starting point for little one to old ones. SCIENCE or ART which one are you interested in. you might have passion for spending and having friends all around you. the both goes along well because you need to know from right or wrong, When you start you Pre- Nursery class, you were introduced to something new and when you get to nursery class you upgrade your thinking level till you are through with the primary to see how you have coped for six years. In my country you have to start nursery for six years and a secondary life of six year in which we have the junior and senior class, so if you are in junior class you have to decide if you want art or science because as you get to senior class you are already introduced to some of the things you dreamt of by going for escortion to see factory's or company's. but i love science and Physics is my favorite

 

The state of public schools - in America, at least - is a national embarrassment. I don't know how much of this is mismanagement, how much is the culture not truly valuing education (kids need to want to learn, and I certainly knew a lot that didn't want to), and how much is just stuff I've never thought of.

There are a lot of individual issues but I know the rote approach to teaching math, the cram-a-bunch-of-dates approach to history, etc. are all just abysmal and need to be done better.

As for 'knowing the law', the problem is that there's a huge and complex legal code (not to mention the tax code), and most of it will be completely irrelevant. Basic classes on how to navigate it make sense - that's sort of the point of civics - but really, the critical thinking and information gathering skills are more important, especially now in the information age.

I don't know how it is in other states, but we did learn about personal finances - I just don't know how many people remembered it because what teenager wants to think about that? (also they might be harder to sucker into student loans.)

 

In Brazil, I believe that teaching financial management is one of the topics that should be taught in school. I know many people who are already in college but do not know the basics about financial management.

I have always been particularly interested in this subject and for this reason, I am always reading blogs and magazines to learn more.

 

I'll be honest, the sex is still a big taboo so that would be a subject very important!!

 

If there was a curriculum that would have a subject known as Discipline, we would be on a better planet.. Kids lately acts like grown ups at 8years old..Yet the simple responsibility you can handle to him/her, is a total Fail or impossible for him. There are alot values, virtues and character building that comes with in depth mentoring a child on discipline! Yet we bombard them with modern tons of books, ideas, programs and forums, but at the end they find it hard to make responsible/mature choices.

 

I believe there is a big need in this country to educate people on their mental health as well as their physical health. People do not realize if you do not have your mind, you do not have anything. It seems to be overlooked in this country and we see random people shooting people in a movie theater. This is a mental health issue not a gun issue. If we can really take the time to understand each other and find out what is going on in someone's mind and how to keep theirs and ours on the right track, I think this would not only make our country handle this appropriately but the world would benefit as well.

 

As a former student and educator, I couldn't agree with the two of you more. There are more important things like paying our bills and taxes that should be taught at school. Students should also be taught about the various organizations, such as Catholic Charities and The United Way that can help them out if and when they get in a bind. Even though Catholic Charities is run by the Catholic Church, it is all-embracing. So, anyone, and I mean anyone in need of help can go to them and receive assistance.

Schools that have taken Home Economics and Industrial Arts (Shop) out of their curriculum need to bring them back, and physical and mental health and sex education should also be included.

 

Here in Nigeria ,little is being done to pass a sound knowledge of the law down to the populace as more emphasis is being placed on what the system claims to be the core need of every student"English Language and Mathematics" thus a lay man down on the street will still be begging for pardon even when his rights are been trampled upon. Most time the judiciary play a huge part in the whole mess as you find them spending almost a whole decade trying to understand the law that they themselves don't even know.
A whole lot really need to be put in place right from the grass root so that every individual will be justly enough to be able to differentiate rights from wrongs .How will i know if my rights are been trampled on if i lack the slightest knowledge of what the law entails.