Current Events > C/D: You would support a finance class being required in high school

(+) Yeah! (+)

C

Looking at how bad a lot of people are with their money, it would help so many people. Not to mention, learning to invest and learning how taxes and money work will benefit them a lot in their life

Yeah

Would have to be a half year or one semester course.

With online banking balancing your accounts for you, theres only so many ways you can teach 16 years olds Dont live above your means.

Considering most of them are still 10-15 years away from moving out of the house.

C, although I also think that debate should be a mandatory class.

It wouldn't hurt, but I doubt it will fix the problem. The real issue is that people make spending decisions with their gut instead of their brain.

bigblu89 posted...

Would have to be a half year or one semester course.

With online banking balancing your accounts for you, theres only so many ways you can teach 16 years olds Dont live above your means.

Considering most of them are still 10-15 years away from moving out of the house.

still better to know early. that way it sets up the foundation for them later to know how money works.

It could definitely be helpful, but sadly knowing public schools it would probably turn out something like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJwrEKD8o3c

Usually it's on parents to encourage their kids to get jobs at that time in life. The smart as shit ones get into grocery or retail.

Unless you have money to spend it's hard to just accept a bunch of ideas that you can't test

So maybe a stipend as well, that can be taken away if the student is antisocial

s0nicfan posted...

C, although I also think that debate should be a mandatory class.

Both of these. People can't think critically for shit, and it's actually hurting the world.

Full C

Instead of teaching us shit like the circumference of a hypotenuse, or whatever calculus did, teach us finances, teach us taxes, teach us house buying, and other shit we actually need

LinkFanatic posted...

Both of these. People can't think critically for shit, and it's actually hurting the world.

the sad and depressing part is that the top 1% and politicians dont want us to have the ability to think critically

LinkFanatic posted...

Both of these. People can't think critically for shit, and it's actually hurting the world.

Critical thinking doesn't really help you figure out if something is true unless you already have most of the answer

C, but kids are not gonna pay attention, fall into the same traps, and then complain no one taught them better anyway

krazychao5 posted...

C, but kids are not gonna pay attention, fall into the same traps, and then complain no one taught them better anyway

that may happen but I almost guarantee you that they will pick up or remember a few things from the lessons. even if they dont pick up most or all of it.

D

that idea is dumb as shit

it's not a lack of finance knowledge that makes people poor. it's a lack of money and resources. financial education won't help; there will just be a lot more people in poverty who have some financial education

I took one in high school and it was complete joke. Turned out to be a total blow off class and literally the worst kids in the school took it. If it is taught properly then maybe, but idk

averagejoel posted...

D

that idea is dumb as shit

it's not a lack of finance knowledge that makes people poor. it's a lack of money and resources. financial education won't help; there will just be a lot more people in poverty who have some financial education

The amount of people that dont know what a cosigner is and have their credit tanked because of someone else is shockingly large.

As a result, they are definitely financially held back.

Teaching finances would be a major boon.

cuttin_in_farm posted...

The amount of people that dont know what a cosigner is and have their credit tanked because of someone else is shockingly large.

As a result, they are definitely financially held back.

Teaching finances would be a major boon.

it might be helpful to some people, but financial education in general is only useful to people who already have enough money that they aren't struggling. that's not most peoples' situation.

stressing financial education is really just another way of putting the onus on individual responsibility rather than the systemic solutions required to address systemic problems like poverty

Absolutely.

averagejoel posted...

it might be helpful to some people, but financial education in general is only useful to people who already have enough money that they aren't struggling. that's not most peoples' situation.

stressing financial education is really just another way of putting the onus on individual responsibility rather than the systemic solutions required to address systemic problems like poverty

I don't think the class would be "here's what you do with all the money you have!" but more of a general education.

Here's what happens when you take out a loan.
Here's the difference between leasing and buying/financing a car.
This is a credit score, and things you do that raise lower it.
Here's how a mortgage works.
The pitfalls of overextending yourself on credit.

Things like that.

The same people who take that class are the same people who spend four years writing papers and researching information but still complain that they were never taught how to do their taxes (and are incapable of looking it up).

It will be shouting into the void, they won't pay attention, and they'll claim they were never taught anyway.

There was one when I went 15-20 years ago, but it was kinda weird.

I remember like an entire week or two about writing a damn check/cheque. It was basically stuff like that, and the history of money, than actually managing it. I recall something about bank accounts and bills too.

How fitting, teach you how to spend money, but not actually make/keep it.

C

100% should be required.

We are sent off knowing nothing unless our parents know and teach us, and many dont have any idea either.

And these are often basic things purposely kept opaque and mysterious and it should change. Give people a fighting chance.

Sure, some kids won't pay attention but with that logic you should scrap education entirely.

And beyond this, many other basic things should be taught tbh. Not everyone is fortunate to have knowledgable parents and who are willing to teach.

Although in this world where every piece of information is literally on your phone, being self taught about many subjects is an easy task.