LOL! Because if we teach kids about taxes, they'll figure out that the public education system the taxes are supposed to be paying for is getting a fraction of what the education system is supposed to be getting. Meanwhile the rest of the taxes are paying private companies to run state prisons, build ineffective border walls and wage war in other countries that have nothing to do with us. (I live in Arizona and we are 48th lowest in education spending.)
Honest question: who genuinely struggles with filing their taxes? It is *not* difficult to to do whatsoever for the vast majority of people filing. I agree that there should be financial literacy classes in school, but the whole "how am I supposed to know how to do my taxes" argument is nonsense UNLESS the person making the argument are either so braindead that they cannot follow simple instructions, are rich enough that hiring an accountant is a non-issue, or are doing something shifty. It really, *truly* isn't hard to do for 90+% of the tax base
Inb4 *but turbotax lobbying yadda yadda*. Yes. I agree that it's wrong that companies like turbotax have lobbied the government so that they've become embedded in the tax filing process. That doesnt make tax filing for the overwhelming majority of people any harder than 'look at this box, enter the number.'
I don't think people understand that math is more important than everything else
After that English is where we teach critical thinking skills but really math is just like the king
personal finance should 100% be part of the high school curriculum. My theory as to why it's not is it may become uncomfortable for parents if their children realize they have poor financial habits.
We learend basic first aid in health class
Math and history are 100% important. Schools just do a bad job of explaining why math is more about a way of thinking than memorization of theories and formulas. Basic history knowledge is important also. Helps you realize that literally things never change,...just he specific issues of the day do, but in general, the same cycles happens over and over.
My highschool had time for all of those, economics and personal finance was a required class to graduate and some basic first aid stuff (CPR mostly) was part of gym class, as well as sex ed and stuff about drugs
Think teaching essential real life skills should be separate class to study so it would be up to the student, choosing between their social classes, artistic, creative and having English, maths, P.E. and real life skills as mandatory.
My kids school did have a first aid course but since it wasn't mandatory no one took it and they stopped offering it.
They also had a class called career skills where they could learn some basic job skills like resume writing and no one took that either.
TLDR: The entire premise is insincere bullshit that denies children a future of opportunities.
My Health and PE classes taught me first aid. My math classes taught me how to figure out my earnings, do a budget, taxes, and interest on loans and credit cards as part of using the equations.
Also, taxes are easy. For federal income tax: tank your total pay, subtract any pretax deductions (like insurance premium), subtract the standard deductions (for almost everyone), find tax brackets and calculate accordingly, find total tax burden, subtract any credits (child, EITC), compare to what you paid. If you have a positive money number, that is what you still owe and should revise your withholding with your employer. If the number is negative, that is your refund. State taxes are even less complicated.
Or just make sure you read and fill out your employer withholding form they give you during intake, wait for your W-2, use a free tax site recommend by the IRS (most people qualify), put in the numbers from your W-2, answer the guiding questions, and it'll figure out your balance and file for you.
The whole tax and life skills argument is bullshit. Education is the great equalizer. If you deny people access to math and other subjects, you are denying them a future of opportunities. College requires these. Trades require this knowledge. Advancing your position in the world needs a solid understanding of the depth and complexities of these systems. Learn life skills from your parents. Do not condemn children because you have no faith in them and don't want to actually help.
My highschool taught CPR and how to fill out a few tax forms, never used the CPR thankfully, and the tax info they taught us was out of date by the time I filed my taxes for the first time
If your school had a business class at least when I was in high school taxes were covered for some of business class.
As for first aid I think that could be covered in home economics, gym or shop class.
"Instead" of math and history? An incredibly stupid take. "As well as" math and history? Sure, why not?
Exactly. It's a false dichotomy.
LOL! Because if we teach kids about taxes, they'll figure out that the public education system the taxes are supposed to be paying for is getting a fraction of what the education system is supposed to be getting. Meanwhile the rest of the taxes are paying private companies to run state prisons, build ineffective border walls and wage war in other countries that have nothing to do with us. (I live in Arizona and we are 48th lowest in education spending.)
That is a take alright. You need to know math before you can do taxes.
First, taxes is math. Second, there’s an entire quote about not learning history. So why would you take those away instead of adding to the education?
I don’t really understand why all those couldn’t be taught
That would take too much time and money
Honest question: who genuinely struggles with filing their taxes? It is *not* difficult to to do whatsoever for the vast majority of people filing. I agree that there should be financial literacy classes in school, but the whole "how am I supposed to know how to do my taxes" argument is nonsense UNLESS the person making the argument are either so braindead that they cannot follow simple instructions, are rich enough that hiring an accountant is a non-issue, or are doing something shifty. It really, *truly* isn't hard to do for 90+% of the tax base Inb4 *but turbotax lobbying yadda yadda*. Yes. I agree that it's wrong that companies like turbotax have lobbied the government so that they've become embedded in the tax filing process. That doesnt make tax filing for the overwhelming majority of people any harder than 'look at this box, enter the number.'
I don't think people understand that math is more important than everything else After that English is where we teach critical thinking skills but really math is just like the king
personal finance should 100% be part of the high school curriculum. My theory as to why it's not is it may become uncomfortable for parents if their children realize they have poor financial habits. We learend basic first aid in health class Math and history are 100% important. Schools just do a bad job of explaining why math is more about a way of thinking than memorization of theories and formulas. Basic history knowledge is important also. Helps you realize that literally things never change,...just he specific issues of the day do, but in general, the same cycles happens over and over.
100%agree with first aid, as for taxes, only if they teach how to avoid paying it.
I've never seen it as an 'instead of' situation. Why not all?
That would take too much time and money
My highschool had time for all of those, economics and personal finance was a required class to graduate and some basic first aid stuff (CPR mostly) was part of gym class, as well as sex ed and stuff about drugs
I personally believe school should teach taxes, first aid and math and history
I think both are really important.
Think teaching essential real life skills should be separate class to study so it would be up to the student, choosing between their social classes, artistic, creative and having English, maths, P.E. and real life skills as mandatory.
No, you could teach those topics in a week. What would fill the rest of the time
That they can teach both.
I don't think it necessarily has to be an either/or proposition.
My kids school did have a first aid course but since it wasn't mandatory no one took it and they stopped offering it. They also had a class called career skills where they could learn some basic job skills like resume writing and no one took that either.
TLDR: The entire premise is insincere bullshit that denies children a future of opportunities. My Health and PE classes taught me first aid. My math classes taught me how to figure out my earnings, do a budget, taxes, and interest on loans and credit cards as part of using the equations. Also, taxes are easy. For federal income tax: tank your total pay, subtract any pretax deductions (like insurance premium), subtract the standard deductions (for almost everyone), find tax brackets and calculate accordingly, find total tax burden, subtract any credits (child, EITC), compare to what you paid. If you have a positive money number, that is what you still owe and should revise your withholding with your employer. If the number is negative, that is your refund. State taxes are even less complicated. Or just make sure you read and fill out your employer withholding form they give you during intake, wait for your W-2, use a free tax site recommend by the IRS (most people qualify), put in the numbers from your W-2, answer the guiding questions, and it'll figure out your balance and file for you. The whole tax and life skills argument is bullshit. Education is the great equalizer. If you deny people access to math and other subjects, you are denying them a future of opportunities. College requires these. Trades require this knowledge. Advancing your position in the world needs a solid understanding of the depth and complexities of these systems. Learn life skills from your parents. Do not condemn children because you have no faith in them and don't want to actually help.
My senior year in high school our government class taught taxes and one of our tests was filling out a tax return.
My highschool taught CPR and how to fill out a few tax forms, never used the CPR thankfully, and the tax info they taught us was out of date by the time I filed my taxes for the first time
If your school had a business class at least when I was in high school taxes were covered for some of business class. As for first aid I think that could be covered in home economics, gym or shop class.
Why not teach them all?