Comments on: Should a personal finance course be mandatory in high school ?

By: Pullay

Pullay — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:46:16 +0000

sure and also parents should teach their kids too.

By: MSA2004

MSA2004 — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:47:03 +0000

Yes. Everyone will eventually have to deal with money, finance, credit, retirement, loans, investing, etc. They should learn about these things, including basic consumer shopping (think grocery store, balancing a checkbook, day to day banking, credit cards, etc.) and handling a paycheck, paying the rent, buying a car, obtaining a mortgage, etc. The sooner, the better.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:26:21 +0000

Yes! I not only think that a finance course is in order for young people, but I think it wouldn’t hurt to require two or three finance courses through one’s high school curricula.

HS courses are a dime a dozen… but what is especially important in this case is the neccessity to explain to students why it is important to understand basic finance (ie. keeping a checkbook, cash versus credit, affects of debt, & the importance of saving early), it’s relationship to real-life, and the impact if the basics are ignored.

I found your question interesting… for I was just talking to someone at work yesterday about this very topic.

By: apmresearch@sbcglobal.net

apmresearch@sbcglobal.net — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:08:03 +0000

Actually that is a good idea.
Sadly that was the job of Mom and Dad but apparently they are so busy they can’t be bothered with raising the children they brought into this world.

By: Ayliann

Ayliann — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:54:39 +0000

Fabulous idea! I’m going to call my school board tomorrow. Perhaps we should all write a letter to the editor of the newspaper and get this course in schools ASAP.

By: ModerndayMadman

ModerndayMadman — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:30:24 +0000

Such a class would receive my full endorsement.

By: msuzyq

msuzyq — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:58:20 +0000

I wish they had put more emphasis on it in high school. Maybe using some real life scenarios. All they taught us was how to balance a checkbook, calculating interest, etc. “Consumer Math” is what they called it. A “Money Management” would have been better.

By: lightandshadow73

lightandshadow73 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:26:49 +0000

Sounds good to me

By: blktiger@pacbell.net

blktiger@pacbell.net — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:27:33 +0000

DEFINITELY. I can’t understand why this obviously necessary information is – withheld? – from young people.

Is this an accident? Ignorance? Or…?

By: October Girl has had it.

*October Girl* has had it. — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:03:40 +0000

Yes! Public schools usually state someplace in their mission statement that they’re around to produce productive community members. Learning all those things is important.