4 ms·

A lot of people don't know basic civics. IMO our education system should be focused primarily understanding and respecting history, law and civics. I think th

A lot of people don't know basic civics. IMO our education system should be focused primarily understanding and respecting history, law and civics. I think the vast majority of Americans have no idea about any of the basics of the American system, which is frankly... scary.

z3c0 4y ago
I don't know... Obviously anecdata, but I'm from an area notorious for poor education standards, and civics and history were focused on very heavily there. I'll go out on a limb and suggest that civics and history aren't going to stick any better than any other subject until critical thinking has first been taught.
- deleted 4y ago
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- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  > I'm from an area notorious for poor education standards, and civics and history were focused on very heavily there. When you (plural) are making 6-figures a year, living in some high class inner suburb, working for some employer who has tons of money sloshing around, you don't need to be good at playing the game because you can just pay your way. Poor communities need to actually be good at playing the game in order to be heard.
bobthepanda 4y ago
The problem is that because of underinvestment, or the wrong kinds of it, increasingly stringent standards without the advances in productivity or pedagogy means that every year gets closer to teaching to the test.
eftychis 4y ago
Can't say everyone or even most world wide are doing a great job necessarily. So I wouldn't take it too hard on oneself. But there must be improvement on the topic. The problem in the U.S. I would say is that lack of knowledge of civics and law can get you in more trouble than other countries -- there is less of the "honest mistake" mentality and approach and more of "we have a hammer and we hammer nails or anything that looks like it." Again on average, and my impression. Also the legal system is way too overcomplicated and inconsistent for my formal mind.

z3c0 4y ago

I don't know... Obviously anecdata, but I'm from an area notorious for poor education standards, and civics and history were focused on very heavily there. I'll go out on a limb and suggest that civics and history aren't going to stick any better than any other subject until critical thinking has first been taught.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
dsfyu404ed 4y ago
> I'm from an area notorious for poor education standards, and civics and history were focused on very heavily there. When you (plural) are making 6-figures a year, living in some high class inner suburb, working for some employer who has tons of money sloshing around, you don't need to be good at playing the game because you can just pay your way. Poor communities need to actually be good at playing the game in order to be heard.

bobthepanda 4y ago

The problem is that because of underinvestment, or the wrong kinds of it, increasingly stringent standards without the advances in productivity or pedagogy means that every year gets closer to teaching to the test.

eftychis 4y ago

Can't say everyone or even most world wide are doing a great job necessarily. So I wouldn't take it too hard on oneself. But there must be improvement on the topic. The problem in the U.S. I would say is that lack of knowledge of civics and law can get you in more trouble than other countries -- there is less of the "honest mistake" mentality and approach and more of "we have a hammer and we hammer nails or anything that looks like it." Again on average, and my impression. Also the legal system is way too overcomplicated and inconsistent for my formal mind.