Should politics be taught in schools?

[Johnnypenso]

I was stating a fact, not voicing an opinion. Please do not put words in my mouth.

My mistake, I misread it, sorry.

 

[Tornado]

I wish people were taught about the importance of state, local, and congressional elections. Those lawmakers have far more impact on our day to day lives than the President ever could.

As I recall, they spent a few months going over the differences between the New York government and the Federal government during 5th grade, and then it never came up again until I went to college.

 

[DK]

Religion, as nowadays by our national curriculum should be taught as non-denominational only (ie. history of Christianity and other religions and what they teach). I believe no EU countries still allow religion to surpass science in explaining our origin etc., except in the private catholic schools.

I wish that were the case in Irish schools. c.90% of publicly-funded primary schools are managed by the Catholic Church. I barely remember ever doing science lessons in primary school, and for 2 years of the 8 I spent in the primary school system, about 1/6 of the time was spent preparing us for Catholic sacraments. If it wasn't for the Discovery Channel, various BBC documentaries or Nat Geo, I would have been a right idiot going into secondary school.

Also, Akmuq perfectly summed up the Irish approach to teaching politics.

 

[Akmuq]

^It's funny because most Irish kids genuinely would have had to draw a poster for CSPE in the Junior Cert, can't believe I only got a C in that.

But yeah its annoying how Religion is still (in my school at least) compulsory, absolutely no-one, from the religious kids to the athiests, has an interest in it, yet we get only one class of P.E a week which is far more interesting and beneficial.

Religion really should be optional, especially if its gonna be the "search for meaning" kinda stuff that's in our school, I doubt its even religion tbh.

 

[Lizard]

But yeah its annoying how Religion is still (in my school at least) compulsory, absolutely no-one, from the religious kids to the athiests, has an interest in it, yet we get only one class of P.E a week which is far more interesting and beneficial.

Try saying that when you got 9am till 5.45pm every Thursday of pure PE.

But that is a story which will drag on for ever.

 

[trackripper123]

Politics is taught at my school, albeit only as an A-Level subject that you can choose to study in your last two years before university.

I certainly think it should be taught, dump religious education and make it optional, and make philosophy, ethics and politics compulsory.

 

[sumbrownkid]

They need to be taught everything properly. This thing with America lagging behind others in public education needs to end, or it will kill us eventually.

 

[Leo0308]

Depends on if you want to teach Politics or Governance, or furthermore whether you teach Politics or politics. Having studied the first two and worked in the third it would take a hell of a teacher to get it right at Key Stage 3 level. But in principle absolutely.

 

[arora]

Wait, is the third politics or politics?