Back to school special…

Civics seems to have dropped out of the curriculum in U.S. schools over the last couple of generations. I think it used to be in the 9th grade curriculum in New York State, but for some reason I’ve never understood, the year I was in 9th grade (never mind what year that was), the State was experimenting, and we had in-depth African and Indian history (being in a Catholic school with Italians and Irish, it made no sense, but to this day I can find African countries on a map, and spell Nehru correctly).

When I taught — thankfully very briefly — junior high in Morelos State, there was a state course called Cívica y Ética,which besides giving the students the theoretical basis of the Mexican State, pumped for things like honesty and not cheating any more than necessary. All good things. Whether it made any impression on the rich little brats at the school I was working at is another story, but it kept them quiet for an hour or so two or three days a week (the teacher was very good at giving them a lot of busy work).

At any rate, Cívica y Ética seems to have disappeared from the Federal curriculum, though it is being returned to the high school curriculum next year. This being the 21st century, a few basic finance courses are also being added.  I suppose a few reminders to act civilized can’t hurt teenagers, and I’m not sure they need to find Ghana on a map.

In other educational news, bureaucrats in Mexico City are going to start taking Nahautl lessons next year. Although English is unofficially Mexico’s second language, Nahuatl is still the official second language, and Mexico City schools are also starting to offer the traditional language in their curriculum.