Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 14:37     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
op isn't from here and so doesn't consider it a home worth knowing about. It's the result of dc transient population. State history is really fascinating - you get to see larger national history playing out in a microcosmic, and you get a deeper understanding to the the spaces you move through that you've never thought about. Dc is no different in this regard than any other state. It's small, but so is rhode island and they have a state history requirement
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 13:19     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
I moved a lot as a kid and went to schools in six states. Every single one had a requirement that we take a course in the history of the state.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2015 11:31     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:Op here. Sounds like no suggestions to get out of it. I realize it is .5 credit but jeez, it is still 4.5 months of DC's time where boredom and some ridiculous group project will be a stressor. It is a check the box exercise. who cares if she knows DC history trivia?! I doubt the content is interesting. For posters who claim that DC will learn abt Congress, that is covered elsewhere. I will fight it on my own I guess.


Sounds like you need to take a course in DC history. There is more to know about DC than government.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 21:38     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:Op here. Sounds like no suggestions to get out of it. I realize it is .5 credit but jeez, it is still 4.5 months of DC's time where boredom and some ridiculous group project will be a stressor. It is a check the box exercise. who cares if she knows DC history trivia?! I doubt the content is interesting. For posters who claim that DC will learn abt Congress, that is covered elsewhere. I will fight it on my own I guess.


Why do you assume that this particular class will be boring, relative to others?
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 21:19     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:I once gave a friendly lecture on DC history to a saleswoman over the phone taking my order. She asked for my address: first my city ... and then my state. Can you guess how the conversation went?

City?

Washington.

No, what city do you live in?

Washington, DC. The city is Washington.

Oh, OK. State?

Um, DC. You put DC in the state part of the address.

Really? I didn't know DC was a state.

Gaaaaaaah!!!!!!

Another time, I overheard a family arguing in a rest stop parking lot about which state license plate people who live in Washington, DC would have (this after one kid asked if anybody lived in Washington DC). I walked them over to my car and gave another friendly lesson, taking care to point out the "Taxation without Representation" part.

It's bad enough that most of the country doesn't know DC history. It would be ridiculous if kids graduating for DC high schools didn't know it.
Or th TSA agent who wouldn't let a passenger through security with a DC license because the person didn't have 'state-issued ID'...
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 20:24     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
I once gave a friendly lecture on DC history to a saleswoman over the phone taking my order. She asked for my address: first my city ... and then my state. Can you guess how the conversation went?

City?

Washington.

No, what city do you live in?

Washington, DC. The city is Washington.

Oh, OK. State?

Um, DC. You put DC in the state part of the address.

Really? I didn't know DC was a state.

Gaaaaaaah!!!!!!

Another time, I overheard a family arguing in a rest stop parking lot about which state license plate people who live in Washington, DC would have (this after one kid asked if anybody lived in Washington DC). I walked them over to my car and gave another friendly lesson, taking care to point out the "Taxation without Representation" part.

It's bad enough that most of the country doesn't know DC history. It would be ridiculous if kids graduating for DC high schools didn't know it.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 19:51     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
I actually learned a lot taking DC history at Wilson. It's a pretty cool class.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 19:24     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Op here. Sounds like no suggestions to get out of it. I realize it is .5 credit but jeez, it is still 4.5 months of DC's time where boredom and some ridiculous group project will be a stressor. It is a check the box exercise. who cares if she knows DC history trivia?! I doubt the content is interesting. For posters who claim that DC will learn abt Congress, that is covered elsewhere. I will fight it on my own I guess.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 15:55     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
I loved studying Long Island history in school--my well-regarded HS offered LI ecology too and that was also neat.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 15:33     Subject: DC history graduation requirement
I grew up in Maryland and had to take a course in MD history which included a few weeks on Bay. I kick ass at MD trivia.

Otherwise, it was a waste. Not sure if they still do that?
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 15:24     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it is ridiculous to require a whole course in DC history at the expense of AP courses and what not. DC history could easily be covered in a short amount of time in a US History and US government course.


Oh please.
it's DC history AND government so kids can understand why the rest of the USA has representatives in Congress and the Senate and why they are disenfranchised
Very important information imo


I agree students should know why they are disenfranchised and I am the pp who said it is a ridiculous requirement. I am not opposed to it being part of a US History and US government course though. I just think it is a waste to spend a whole course on it. Other states like the one we came from do not require a separate course on their state history but they do require state history as a part of their history instruction which can take part in a US history course.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 14:57     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it is ridiculous to require a whole course in DC history at the expense of AP courses and what not. DC history could easily be covered in a short amount of time in a US History and US government course.


Oh please.
it's DC history AND government so kids can understand why the rest of the USA has representatives in Congress and the Senate and why they are disenfranchised
Very important information imo
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 13:59     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:I think it is ridiculous to require a whole course in DC history at the expense of AP courses and what not. DC history could easily be covered in a short amount of time in a US History and US government course.


Oh please.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 13:32     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
Anonymous wrote:I think it is ridiculous to require a whole course in DC history at the expense of AP courses and what not. DC history could easily be covered in a short amount of time in a US History and US government course.
I know a few Wilson kids with 11 or 12 APS in spite of the DC history half credit
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2015 12:38     Subject: Re:DC history graduation requirement
I think it is ridiculous to require a whole course in DC history at the expense of AP courses and what not. DC history could easily be covered in a short amount of time in a US History and US government course.