Yes! "Home economics" was just an elective class in school for me, but although it was seen as basically "the cooking class"/girlie class, I took it and it was way more than just that. We were not just taught about cooking but also stuff like budget balancing, credit cards & loans, and even things like insurance and taxes.
Maybe my school had it differently than others, but it gave me a good outline of how the real world worked.

We used to. There was Home Ec where male and female students learnt cooking and sewing, and Consumer Ec where we learnt budgeting, balancing accounts, etc.

Also the minor thing like read and write as this seems to be lacking in many schools today.

Yes!!!!!! Actually they used to have classes like these. Was called Home Economics when I was in school.

I took welding and drafting... it helped for my first real job.

I'm uneasy at "mandatory"

Yes, I speak to people all day long who know nothing about contracts they sign and who feel cheated. They only hear what they want to hear.

Yes.

Of course. We used to have those classes in the old days.

I find this interesting... The norm is that we don't want mandatory things but when it boils down to areas out of our scope (non of us would go back to school to take such classes, would we?) then it's ok to ask for mandatory stuff. Why don't we push our luck a bit further and ask for a mandatory class to be happy !! (You will be happy and you are going to like it because its mandatory !!!!) See how ridiculous that sound?

We actually had all that in school. Things started going into the shitter in the 80s.

We used to have home economics that taught you some things but only the girls took the class and a lot of it was about wearing certain clothes that made you look good and makeup. It would have been nice to learn things like writing a check or getting your driver's license.

How credit cards can screw you up and basic concepts of interest.

Absolutely, and the boys especially should have to take home-ed. The big problem is that today both parents often work so information they should teach their kids is often missing. Too many kids these days get shuttled off to day care from an early age.

Why is this always about blaming the school for a child's failings? I thought parents were supposed to teach their children to tell the time and simple reading, then as their children grew older talk to them about morality, show them how to cook, and so forth. Perhaps schools need mandatory classes for the parents of their pupils?

YES! I have been saying this for years! They need to have a mandatory class to teach them how to balance a checkbook, make a budget, plan a menu! A class on public services also! How to mail something at the Post Office, what does a zoning office do, what is code enforcement. I've seen college graduates that didn't know where to put a stamp on a letter!

Yes. cooking, bills, taxes, interviewing, paying rent...

Yes I 100000% agree with such a course just like I agree with your other idea, but things like changing a tire and cooking are not as important as knowing laws, knowing how to land a job, dieting, money management, etc.

The real essentials should be concentrated on the hardest.

I have advocated this for years. while teaching I frequently integrated life skills into my curriculum.

I grew up in Puerto Rico, public school had "domestic economy" in junior high for the girls, boys were taught how to work in wood, we were taught tools and skills. Vocational schools will get you ready with a high school diploma and a profession. Too much emphasis on computers now I guess.

Yes, I speak to people all day long who know nothing about contracts they sign and who feel cheated. They only hear what they want to hear.

No ! Thats the parents job !

Apparently, this should be required.
My cul-de-sac neighborhood is comprised of guys and gals who were taught this stuff by OUR PARENTS. That's just not happening anymore. And that's a sad, sad commentary on our culture.

Absolutely