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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Yeah, they're Liberal and Democratic. Hey, Chaltab, as an American teenager I'm interested to know if you are taught or exposed to any current affairs happening outside of America (this election, for example). I'd like to know the truth about how America observes the rest of the world.

Heh. Typically, we americans are taught more about the history of other nations rather than current events. I'm considered one of the more knowlegeable people in my school but I can probably count the world leaders I know of by fingers.

Still, I think it's relative; you all are told what is going on in America because whatever the US does affects you. The same can't always be said of the other nations. If America's actions didn't directly affect the rest of the world, then I doubt you'd know as much about them yourselves.

I just don't think it should be prerequisite that I, as a citizen of the American northeast should know what's going on in Siberia right now. Does this mean I'm stupid or brainwashed? No, it means I don't care.

I look at it more as a major weakness in the American educational system than anything else. I graduated high school in 1990, and I can say after looking at some of the kids in my family that things have changed for the worst...big time. My wife is also a teacher, and can tell you that all the BS they have to put up with, from idiot uncaring parents to advertising, running, and collecting for fund raisers being brought in by outside vendors. And keep a kid back for not learning? Feh...not possible. Pass them to the next grade whether they know the work or not. Not only that, but take a walk to the local mall. I know you're still in school, but after talking with you in the past I think you're pretty intelligent: I'm sure you can see how scary it is. Teenagers, in GENERAL (not you) are idiots. When I was in the mall during my lunch hour I was shocked by what I saw: 12-13 year old girls who look like tramps, 8-9 year olds with cell phones, 15-16 year old single mothers with two kids. Points to breakdowns at home and at school, unfortunately.

Expanding on what I said above about teens being idiots, again please don't take it the wrong way. There are exceptions. You are one of them, I was one of them. There were a few of us in my class that would actually read our own books during lunch, or would compete for good grades on our tests. Then there were the rest.