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Flypaper

Disturbing news from the UK

Stafford Palmieri
11.17.2008

The American testing system has often been blamed for the simplification of curriculum, the cutting of art, music, and physical education classes, and the decline of quality education overall. Perhaps a laser-like focus on reading and math has produced some unintended consequences but it's a far cry better than recent developments in the United Kingdom. This weekend, the Telegraph reported that traditional subjects are being foresworn for "lifestyle" classes, like sex ed, citizenship, and British national identity. In fact, one survey found the amount of time spent teaching geography has dropped 70 percent. Students certainly should have a civics curriculum, but let's not cut history to do it.

Tags: United Kingdom
Stafford Palmieri
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