What are the two most important things they don't teach you in school?

Now, I'm talking really important, life and death or at least quality of life important...

Finance (Taxes) and Law.

Finance

Some people might say "Hey, I took an accounting course in high school so I learned finance."
You took a course to learn how to file taxes... And, where I'm from the course is an elective. That is not finance, and that is not even truly learning about taxes. The mediocre course taught in my school only covered how to file returns and create balance sheets which I think was only offered to encourage people to file once they entered the job market.

Now, what should they teach regarding finance?

First off, Taxes; why we pay them and where the money goes. A break down of tax money and where it is spent.
Tax incentive programs, tax free programs, tax benefit programs. Cover it all. Tax law, what should happen if you don't pay tax or run a business without paying tax. What are your rights regarding taxes and tax payment.
Everything to do with taxes should be covered because as people we are expected to pay tax. This should be a mandatory course.

What else, I personally think money management and investment should be covered too. Do you want your future generations to be wise with their money and see the benefits of investing or do you want them to live hand to mouth consuming. (I think we all know how the system wants you to be)

Taxes and money management doesn't have to be a stressful subject, but the less educated people are on it the more of a burden it becomes.

Law

Second subject, Law; "Ignorance is no excuse to the law"

It isn't? Where exactly can you find the laws you are obligated to abide by as a kid growing up? The only law I learned was from my mother, who had no concept of the law or personal rights whatsoever. I remember as an 8 year old asking my mom why something was against the law. And more importantly how she knew it was. Her reply was ' everyone knows what's against the law'. Back then I told her if we have to follow laws we should have a book they give us to know what they are. I was only 8. How can an 8 year old recognize this but a grown woman can't?
What she gave was such a horrible answer.
The truth is, is nearly no one understands the law. Laws have become so complicated that some people that have done eight years of school on the subject at first only have a grasp at law.
Why should you teach law? Because you are obligated to follow it. Because you can be locked up and held against your will if you do not understand it. And this 'word of mouth' interpretation of the law between people that have no understanding is criminal in itself.
If bad information is being passed around as 'law' and someone commits a crime because of it, it is the person whose actions are deemed criminal that is responsible. So where then do we learn the laws so this does not happen? We, as children are supposed to research law on our own time? I remember as a kid my parents as well as others who basically made up their own laws, some believed swearing was against the law. Some believed lying was against the law. Or at least they told their children that to promote better behavior. That is irresponsible.
It is deplorable that we do not teach something so important to children when they are young, something that they are required to follow the rest of their lives. And it should not be taught as a scare tactic, Law should be taught alongside human and individual rights. Every time you learn a law in school you should learn the constitutional implications behind said law. Or if in Canada the charter of rights that coincides with such law.

Please reply to this with your personal understandings on these subjects as a child vs. now. And whether you feel you know enough about both subjects. Because personally, even though I do research now and then I still feel completely uninformed.

*Edit (bold)

[edit on 25-8-2009 by threekings]

How to be good at relationships and how to be a good parent. These two areas receive very little attention.

I agree with parenting.

Unfortunatly there are so many 'parents' that would just be the way they are and none of the teaching would do any good.

In the USA - English - not how to tell a verb from a noun or how to diagram a sentance BUT HOW to actually Speak the language!

common sense. its bases for survival.

For me, when I was in school in the way way back times, one thing that wasn't taught, or developed in school was analytical skills. The teachers wanted us students to analyze things, but gave no guidance concerning how to do analyzing. Some students had a great knack for coming up with an analysis for problems, or poems, etc. I couldn't follow their reasoning. Me, and a small majority just looked at each other and said, wtf? We "felt" the analyses were wrong, but had no skill in refuting them. It was more intuition for the rest of us.

Check book balancing. I think this simple skill should be taught in high school. Oh, the times I had to take privates, when I was in the army, to creditors and help work out an agreement between the two parties. It really got old. I started a check book class at my last 3 units for anyone who wanted to take their free time to learn. Some people took the classes. It was, of course, voluntary. Jeeze! Adults, not being able to maintain a checking account! I learned how to do that when I was 14 years old. The same year I learned all about SS withholdings, etc. The same year I started working "above the table". When income tax reporting came around the first time, my mom gave me the income tax forms and the booklet that came with them and said, "Read and learn."

to read and write. thinking for yourself is gone. and most of the scum here in MI cant read and can barely write. schools here are just keeping these vermin from committing crimes for 8 hours Mon-Fri

Not speaking for myself directly, but rather using the wisdom of the late George Carlin, who I believe said it best.

1. "Children should be thought to question everything."
2. "Kids have to be warned that there's bull# coming down the road."

If you teach your child to question everything, he or she will have a sharp analytical mind capable of critical thinking...

...and you just know that sooner or later someone is going to try to control their life. Only fair to warn them about it beforehand.

Kind regards, M.

Parenting is taught in most schools. The problem is that since they don't exclusively teach Abstinence and use only the Nuclear Family model, many parents won't allow their teenage children to take these Parenting classes.

Likewise, Personal Economics is also taught in most schools. This covers everything from using a checkbook, managing money, paying bills, and filing out W-2s and 1040s.

I do agree that there should be a mandatory basic Law Course though in High School. It's not that difficult of a subject to master, and at some point in a person's life the likelihood that they will have to circumnavigate the Court Process in one manner or another means that they should be given the same basic skills that any Paralegal has.

As far as the George Carlin comment, I wholeheartedly agree. Children should learn to question everything, and taught to be far more discerning and less credulous.

Considering that Common Sense isn't so Common anymore, it would stand to reason that instead of the 3 R's (Reading, Riting, Rithematic) we should change it to the 5 R's (Reading, Riting, Rithematic, Reason, and Rhetoric). The Platonic Method of Reason and Rhetoric is finding more popularity in recent times among more progressive schools. I remember a recent article and thread here stating the Platonic Method would be used in U.K. schools soon as well. It is a good idea as when you provide a child with Rhetorical Reasoning skills, you are giving them the skills to educate themselves. You are teaching them how to think instead of what to think, and that is perhaps the best way we can empower future generations.

That the people you go to school with will want to kill you, if they get a job that allows them too.

Thats the only rule you need. Boy did i go to school with real life 1st degree murderers, all off there heads.

Some really good posts.
Critical thinking is extremely important in life and there is no focus on it at all in school.
Teachers don't like it when you question their authority or their programs, there needs to be more tolerance with that.

As far as parenting, no one can actually say what is the best way to raise a child, but, if you are just teaching basic needs that would be acceptable. Remember; if the government told you exactly how to raise your kids I think most people would feel they are being intrusive. Not only that, there are too many methods of raising children that are unproven or not agreed upon.

As far as dealing with relationships. I think that is a good one to focus on. We need to teach are children to be more direct and more outspoken. To communicate directly with their peers and to understand the benefits in showing respect to people without having to compromise personal beliefs.

Too often children find they have to agree to a way of thinking rather than show respect for it and maintain their personal views.

I taught my 4 sons how to think for themselves and how to be empathetic. I also pushed reading and the creative arts. They all turned out just fine.

I agree with common sense. And of course they're not going to teach students how to think for themselves, that would ruin EVERYTHING!

You could be the smartest person in the world, but if you don't know that stepping into a huge pile of wet mud will cause you problems, you're in trouble pal. True story actually; back when I was in grade school this kid down the street went on the television show Smartest Kid in America and won it. He won a large sum of money and the title. Then he got stuck in the mud.