Or at least qualify it. If you can't you just be the boy crying wolf.

You also need to be able to do what you say ;)

Sad to say that in year 12 I wrote my journal in 2 hours on the final day it could be handed up and recieved 97% or something stupid for it - I just can't respect a subject which requires nothing more than the ability to spout bullshit in an engaging fashion.

I don't see why English should be mandatory - the fundamentals are all taught by year 8.
Beyond that it is purely philosophy/psychology/social science, not English

I don't believe it should be mandatory in its current form. The only real thing I learnt that is useful to me is how to write and present a formal speech. Most of the other forms of writing that I will need I learnt in other subjects when I was required to write a experimental procedure or a right a technical report. All I learnt in english was that those who could bullshit the best got the best marks.

No subject should be mandatory otherwise you may as well just have every kid do the same subjects in their final two years at school as the arguments for making any subject mandatory are equally valid for a number of other subjects. Lets just make every one do maths, science (why even bother splitting them up at highschool?), english, history and phys ed - bases covered.

Yes, it's bad enough as it is when you get to uni and have to do group assignments with fobs who cant speak english.

Should be mandatory in year 11 and 12 and should also be mandatory for any new student that comes in to a school and English is not their first language.

IMO English should be mandatory throughout k-12, we seriously need to improve the literacy of kids today.

What does it matter, the English language has been destroyed by internet and text speak as well as a move to computers, young people today have less and less of a grasp of how to construct sentences and how to articulate a point in an essay.

It was bad enough when I was going through school, that they removed grammar from the curriculum, now days kids are needing to be taught how to write legibly for their HSC!

But yes it should as well as 1 science, Nath and a computer class that helps you understand the finer points of computers to an equivelant of a Cert II at TAFE.

Has to be, unless you want to be cleaning public toilets for the rest of your life.

I personally reckon they've got the two core subjects mixed up. Math should be compulsory and English not. Those who remember senior English would admit that some of it is absolute bollocks. Im currently in the High School system, and I really can't stand it. Maybe that is just me, but I doubt I would need to know poetic devices such as enjambment in my life.

Math however on the other hand should be a must. Everyday you go through life using math, prices, bills, timetables etc. In NSW they run a course called General Math. This isn't your typical Trigonometry and Calculus filled courses, but more a life skills math subject. I can't see why even students who do seem to struggle with Math can't do well in that. The argument of "Oh some kids just don't understand Math," is the whole reason why we need make the subject compulsive.

I'm not saying that you won't need English in some occupations, I mean there's plenty our journalism gigs that would require it. But at the end of the day, there are more hints of Math in the majority of jobs, and in general life for that matter. I can understand why a kid might pick English in Year 11/12 because they're good at it/need it for future jobs, but Math should be mandatory.

That's my two cents anyway.

Edited by keepersball: 24/9/2012 10:13:30 AM

Should any subject be mandatory?
Should another subject/s be mandatory?

Answers should be interesting.....