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[rock_on779]

the education in America is supposed to top notch, but i feel like i have not learned in school.

there are so many things we do not learn about in school. 
what about foreign issues? 
how many years do we need to learn american history, when it is nothing to be proud of anyway?

Maybe I missed it in school, but I feel like i barely know anything about

Comments

[the_white_fro]

I think I know where you're coming from, but I think our education system really is great. I mean, because we learn in our schools, we'll be able to choose our profession and not be subjected to a cycle of poverty. I think that people from poorer nations would also disagree and feel that they have learned nothing.
I do agree that we don't learn about foriegn issues enough, but that might be because we are in US History. Our school does offer a class called Global Issues taught by Mr. Thomas that I will be taking first period next marking period.
In my opinion though, American history is something to be proud of. America has a history of giving freedom to its constituants and giving aid to poorer nations. This is something that all Americans should be taught in order to continue this cycle. I would say though, that America in the present is not something to be proud of.
I also did not know much about other cultures or current issues until i joined Model U.N. This is going to sound like a shameless plug, but I really do feel like it opened my mind. For example, I recently learned of a current crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has been the cause of the deaths of over 4,000,000 people and about 1,000 people a day at M.U.N. And while the situation in Darfur is disgusting, this seems like a much worse situation.
Also, I have to disagree with the sentiment that it is much worse in other places. America is one of a few nations that is not in constant turmoil. South America and Africa are riddled with death squads, horrible deseases, poverty and drug problems. Asia and the Middle East are among the most unsafe places in the world. Nations such as North Korea and Iran are currently starving their citizens in order to become a military power.(And yes I realize I sound like a typical war-hawk, but the fact is, its true.)
It is hard to imagine what it would be like from another country, which I've had the experiance of doing in Model U.N. (God, this sounds like such an endorsement.) By representing another countries views you put yourself in their shoes. (On a side note, the Ukraine and Belarus are'nt really small countries. I mean compared to the U.S. and China, yes, but in their region of Eastern Europe they are considered powers, economically especially.)
However, there is no way I could ever agree with your final statement of not allowing your future children to live in the U.S. This would be denying them a first-rate education. I mean you said yourself that you appreciate that you have lived in America and there is no reason to squander your future children's potential. Also, if you do feel you are only getting one view on America now, you would be doing the same thing to your children from the other side. As much as I once again hate to sound like George Bush, this is one way terrorists are made. In nations such as Iran children are only taught the negatives of America, which influences them for life. Without teaching them the whole story, you would be creating a bias that would stay with them for life. Now, I'm not saying your children would be terrorists at all, I'm just saying that what you would do would not be ethically moral.