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That's not really the problem. What IS the problem, in my view, is that when I went through middle and HS, there was a lot of emphasis on the early American history like the Revolution and the Civil War. I understand and applaud the emphasis on the early stages of government, but once I got to HS, it's like nothing major happened in the world after, say, World War II. So many major events following the World Wars are not being studied thoroughly enough. (Hell it would surely explain the leftists that keep claiming that Iraq was going to turn into another Vietnam)

I can't disagree with you on your points. I suppose some high schools could offer AP courses for kids deeply interested in the history of a given period, perhaps through independent study or classes at a local college. I just can't see the average HS being able to offer a serious course on a topic as specialized as say the Cold War and the conflicts it generated. Imagine trying to find a qualified instructor among the typical Union members whose education most often consists of an "Education" degree. (Far too many are lucky if they can place the Civil War in the correct half of a the 19th century or even be sure if it was the 19th.) If it is the standard "American History" course, it can only be a survey to assure that all of the important points are covered and hopefully inspire those with an interest in any particular period to study further on their own.

High School isn't really intended to 'educate' you. It exists to make you educable – to assure you know the functional basics of writing, science, mathematics, literature, history, language, music and art.

Today we see an incredibly high percentage of HS graduates forced to take “remedial” courses their first year in college just to get the basics that they should already have. They graduate from HS, with good grades, and are simply not prepared. That is a clear indication that the public education system is failing miserably.