I still have a cutting board I made from 1992.
The problem is, like the standard classes, these will be dumbed down to the lowest level.
Yup. The left will try to make itself look like heroes despite the damage they ahve done over the decades by pushing college like they have.
They will NEVER admit they were wrong.
I remember back in the old days, they had shop class for boys, and home economics for girls.
I know nowadays, some people would think it outrageous that classes were set up segregated by sex.
“Why do you listen to a shop teacher missing fingers?” - Tim Allen
In the ‘60s anyone caught smoking behind the building during Auto Shop was sentenced to wet sanding ‘the truck’ while others took a break.
That would have been invaluable experience.
I helped outfit CTE programs across Texas and Oklahoma with AV technology starting in the 90’s and again in the 2010’s.
Some programs, like at Edcouch Elsa ISD in the RGV, made very good use of the technology and offered great programs.
Now, their programs were geared toward what was needed in the RGV - cooking, hair dressing and some programming. Not much shop or mechanics as I remember. But any kid that tried was ahead of the current Tik Tok generation.
I hired a kid from another high school, that let him get his Cisco certification, and he was well on his way into a great career when he left us.
I took every electronics class I could in HS and Middle School.
It took me almost 20 years, but eventually I could laugh at the jocks in HS.
Shop classes should be offered, but not required for everyone!!
And, conversely, those who concentrate on shop should not have chemistry, physics, calculus, etc. required!
There may be a few people who need a bit of both. Let them have them!
BTTT
I ended up taking electronics and drafting. The electronics courses became quite useful, not so much as a career, but in everyday life.
High school back in the sixties.
Wood shop, metal shop, couple years tv repair.
Ended up with a GED. Refused to play the games.
Pulled six figures for a lot of years before retiring.
And you can’t outsource trades guys/gals.
Learned these skills from Boy Scouts and my engineer father.
A longstanding pattern for “progressives” is to bring back things they destroyed decades ago and pretend they invented it, and they are so brilliant.
Most of the trades wrack the body. I’d rather my kids be happy and healthy long into their silver years with a job that requires only straining their brain, than complaining of arthritis and back pain as early as their forties. Just one pop’s opinion.
Enjoyable thread - thanks for posting it.
Best news all day.
I had mandatory shop classes in junior high way back in the early 1950’s. Learned how to operate a lathe and many other machines. I also worked construction during summers when in college. I learned how to do everything. Never had to hire a carpenter, electrician, plumber, or any other craftsman my entire life.
Also, for two weeks of the school year, we had to take home economics and the girls had to take shop. Made great cookies in the home ec class.
News a couple years ago showed a wood shop class at one of the local high schools, primarily AA. The kids they showed had no idea how to use a hammer or saw. My dad taught me such things.....must be tough growing up without a dad.