This is the second part to an earlier writing about education in the United States. As you may recall, I advocated for the privatization of all schools from kindergarten to graduate studies. This piece will focus on the curriculum that needs to be followed.

Everytime I encounter someone in the workplace, I am reminded of just how much we have failed to properly educate United States citizens in the fundamentals of communication: reading, writing and speaking. Few would argue that the time is long overdue for the United States to "get back to the basics" of a fully functional education system. We need to exclusively focus on the development of communication skills from kindergarten to eighth grade along with annual testing that measures apptitude and interest. Training in mathematics should be limited to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Unless communication skills are fully mastered, there is no need to advance to high school.

For those who graduate to high school, the emphasis could evolve into a curriculum of philosophy, sociology, economics, psychology, science and religious studies. Books such as "For Dummies" and "The Complete Idiot's Guide" could be used to foster an understanding of different religions. Athletic activity would be strictly confined to cardio vascular exercises and all sports would be eliminated. While there would still be an emphasis on communication skills, the focus would now be on developing a foundation of basic knowledge so as to be able to graduate to college. Testing for apptitude and interest would continue through high school increasing the chances of picking the right field of study . Those not continuing on to college would enter some type of apprenticeship training for the purpose of learning a trade. For those who do graduate to college, the student would continue to study an advanced version of the same curriculum as high school but only for the first two years then they would complete their education by strictly focusing on coursework designed to train them in their field of study. Nearing graduation, internships would be required to begin the transition to the working world. Think of how different our society would be if our education system could just teach the fundamentals of reading, writing and speaking.

I do agree that the education system is severely lacking in the emphasis that they put upon the importance of learning literacy, orality, comprehension, & other very important communications skills.

Not entirely sure however, that I agree that the tests should measure 'interest' --Humans are beautiful in their individuality, and I do also have to question where your curriculum leaves room for the handicapped. There are those who cannot hear, but often understand far better than those who can... Perhaps rather than bearing upon 'interest' we should simply test for aptitude... with the aptitude should come the interest, (that's always been my finding)

I like the listed subjects of study, except for religious studies. But, that could be due to my own personal beliefs, & the fact that I have some really big problems with organized religions as a whole. I'd agree with it if it were done in a style of studying organized religions & the effect they have had on society...

I don't like the idea of eliminating sports from the extra-curricular activities, and I'm not sure what kind of school phys ed you have down in the US, but up here we don't have anything other than cardio exercise really... whether its in the form of running laps around a track, or a team sport that involves a lot of running / jumping, etc. I think sports / exercise in general is very beneficial especially to people who are sitting & studying all day, although I think the scheduling of the phys ed could be reworked considerably... have it in the middle of the day, give the rest of the teachers a break, and then kids won't be quite as 'laggy' through the afternoon periods. Along with the phys ed, maybe it oughta be called "Health & Fitness" and rather than simply being exercise, have emphasis on healthy eating habits, etc as well.

The post-secondary breakdown is interesting, however I do think that included in the high school level there should be education regarding history & political science. I'm not talking about the type they have in schools right now, because the maps 'n chaps shit is boring as all hell. If they included even half the compare/contrast stuff in high school history, as they do in Uni level history, (compare & contrast back then to today's current issues) it would make both history & current political events FAR more interesting for the younger generations.

As far as the privatization of all schools goes, I am both for & against that. I don't like the idea of limiting schooling & education to coordinate with the size of one's pocketbook... because ignorance is a key factor in what is fundamentally wrong with society today as a whole, people are ignorant, largely due to disinterest, largely due to ...ignorance again I suppose. Lack of knowledge about the subjects at hand. It boils down to the proverbial, "I don't know & I don't care" --That's right, and the people who DO know, DO care...

However I can also agree with the privatization idea on the level that one of the requirements for entry, is that the parents take an active, interested, participating role in their child's education, all the way through. So few parents do... which is unfortunate, and I'm going to have to say I believe a lack of parental interest in education, may also be a key factor in a good chunk of what is wrong with the education system, more than the actual system itself.

good points...

I can construct a coherent sentence, add, subtract, multiply, divide, logically deduce solutions to everyday issues, and wipe my own ass. And I never went to college.

You know what I learned in private school? How to inhale a cigarette, the definition of "blow job", and how to get away with wearing neon green socks with my uniform.

Public schools are nothing more than indoctrination centers. Kids today are certainly dumber than kids yesterday. I mean how is it possible that we are the LEAST educated 1st world country on Earth? It all started with our decline in the 60s when school stopped being about learning and started being about political inclinations and other moralistic bullshit that hampers our ability to succeed. Not to mention its considered wrong and self esteem crushing to give kids bad grades or punishment today.

I see the dude's point, of course. I'm astounded daily by the emails I receive from other people in my company. How they graduated high school, let alone received a college degree, just fascinates me. But honestly? The more incompetent people show themselves to be, the better I look. Keep on churning out the tards. The military always needs infantry.

If you know youre bright you dont need to worry about competition because at that point it comes down to drive not smarts.

The country needs less idiots and more geniuses. The fact that China (a 3rd world country) is kicking our asses education-wise while many of thier children sleep on dirt floors should be alarming. Somehow its not though.

We need to de-politicalize schools, get the fags and feminist theory out and start driving home the critical thinking and language skills that made our kids all want to be nuclear physicists in the 1930s and 40s. Ethnic, and gender studies classes should be banned since they only promote hatred and victimization.

I think homeschooling and private schooling need a big economic boost. If I choose to home school my children I should get a hefty tax rebate from my town or state since my kids wouldnt be taking up any of the resources used to teach kindergarteners about my 2 mommies or that HIV is an everybody disease.