Why don't kids nowadays know about Jazz and classi

Blame it on MTV.

As a long time teacher, I can tell you it's the same reason that many students don't know good literature (I'm not even talking about "great literature" here}. Many "Curriculum specialists" and "school of education professors" adhere to the philosophy that content is no longer that important--that a student can learn as much from reading a Hillary Duff type book as he/she can from "a better class of literature". The important thing "they" say is that the kids read--not what they read. I also see this in young teachers just entering the profession. Many of them are ignorant of the content that many of the people of my generation were taught. This includes all fields--science, math, social studies, etc. I am no high brow, but I am constantly amazed by what some of the younger teachers can't discuss even semi-intelligently. I know that I am more knowledgeable now than I was 30 years ago, but the difference I see was that I was at least interested in learning about my subject. Younger teachers seem to have been taught alot of methodology at the expense of content.

Papertrail makes a good argument for continual testing of teachers to keep them honest. We need a lot more history, literature, sciences (biology, chemistry, astronomy, geography), mathematics, and english grammar and composition. Teach the kis how to diagram sentences.

And stop teaching them about lifestyles and sex; let 'em pick it up on the street. More fun.

I think Viridian and Onhwy61 are displaying a supreme level of wisdom in this thread with their posts. My hat is off to both of them.

To subjugate another human being to what one considers the "correct" or "preferred" style of anything in life is the height of arrogance. A lot of the most dangerous "isms" in the world are born out of this. Freedom is the ability for a person to listen to whatever music s/he so chooses.

My daughter is an avid cellist, constantly exposes herself to classical music, and has an ability to retain knowledge like very few people I've ever met. Her understanding of the music, both the breadth available as well as insight on the individual pieces, surpasses anybody else that I know of any age. The music program she was in while in public school was phenomenal due to the incredible efforts of her teachers, even though they are operating on a budgetary shoestring.

My son does not play an instrument and doesn't know much of anything about classical music, but over time listens to just about every genre imaginable, and avidly.

Both of them regularly have Hendrix, Zeppelin and, yes, even the Allman Brothers cued up. I give them trouble all the time about finally finding some "cool" bands to listen to.

My kids may not be representative of the norm (or they may be), but music is one of the most bonding influences in my family. I'd love to see the funding of the arts reverse it's downward trend, but nothing can kill the inspiration of music.