CBS News featured a segment recently regarding the lack of financial education for today’s young people. The situation was predictable over 20 years ago.
Business and consumer education, home economics, and industrial arts (life skill courses) were dropped from high school curriculums in Maine and across the country. In an eight-period school day, there was not enough time to teach these subjects. The emphasis for increased requirements in English, mathematics, science and languages (all very important) demanded the time. After all, life skill classes were not going to be tested on the Maine Educational Assessments. High schools were going to be judged as a success or failure on the results of such tests.
Business education was reduced to computer courses. Topics covered in accounting and consumer education classes were not necessary. “The students would be able to pick up such knowledge on their own time” was the justification quoted to me by the superintendent of schools when I pointed out the need for life skill courses. Therefore, such topics as banking, credit, insurance, home buying and money management were “not tested” and not taught. It was part of the life skill programs to teach ethics in the workplace, loyalty and confidentiality along with other “not tested” subject matter.
Twenty years later, the news media and the politicians are crying foul because the youth do not understand money management.
It saddens and angers me that today’s situation exists. It gives me great pleasure to say, “I told you so” to those who made the decision to demean our programs so many years ago.
Catherine P. Richard
Bangor
Comments
comments for this post are closed