[freespirited]

He also notes with dismay the decades long trend of high schools abandoning shop class and any other training for skills requiring the use of your hands.

But does he understand how this came about? I believe it is because our public schools are very down on subjects where males do better than females.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Good article.

[woodbutcher1963]

Shop classes were done away with for one main reason:

LIABILITY

It is really hard to cut your finger off in language arts class. I saw a stoner cut through their finger with the 20” bandsaw back in 1980. If that happened today, the school would probably be in for a major lawsuit. This is why SAWSTOP tablesaws are selling for more than a Powermatic.
They pay themselves off in just the reduced insurance premium.

The other reason is the cost of shop space in machinery and materials. It is a lot cheaper to offer advanced math than basic woodshop or automotive.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

But does he understand how this came about?

Those who can do. Those who cannot, teach. Those who cannot teach, teach gym. Or shop.

My biggest regret about HS was the absolute incompetence of my teachers. I probably had only two competent HS teachers in my four years.

[NVDave]

That’s part of it.

Another large part is the liability insurance costs for dangerous machinery and equipment.

Schools and parents have raised a generation of pussies who don’t know how to preserve life and limb around machinery as a result.