That's never been my experience.

In middle and high school, they were coaches first and ____ second. I had one class with a coach and he was EXTREMELY bored and didn't bother teaching that much. I heard similar stories from classmates who had coaches for other subjects.

It breaks my heart that government & civics courses are (apparently) not being taught. I also feel really naive because I had no idea that these weren't completely standard, basic courses.

Illinois requires/required a constitution test in Jr. High and in High School. Passing was required to graduate each. In high school we took up some of our American History class with it. I believe we had to be able to write the preamble.

That's not how causality works. Disregarding the concept that if the law had been in place so many things about reality would have been changed that this guy could have been dead, living elsewhere, or not had the experiences that exacerbated his mental illness... It's still silly. What ifs don't serve anyone here. In reality if he wanted to do damage he would have found a way. But what if he had been prohibited from carrying a gun? Well then he might have made pipe bombs. It doesn't help anything at all.

We had to take a government class and an econ class to graduate. The district I'm student teaching in requires that as well. Don't know if that's a state thing though. I hated government, don't remember anything about it to be honest but remember hating it. I loved economics. My econ teacher was the best!

I can't believe you said that....wait...from talking to you thru this board...yes I can.

Thanks.

The guy's an ass.

He got shot and he's made lemonade out of lemons. Gotta hand it to him.

You know Mr. Brady personally? I haven't had the pleasure, fill me in.

And I hope Kevin knows him intimately enough to call him an ass.

Article about Pam Gifford, AOII, shot in Tucson This Weekend...
 

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...-shooting.html

Thanks. It sounds like she was incredibly lucky that the bullet hit no vital organ despite going from her clavicle to her pelvis. Amazing!

He's a public figure whose claim to fame is being in the wrong place when someone wanted to kill Reagan. Every time there's an opportunity to introduce gun control, he places himself in the limelight as if 20 something years later, his wheelchair gives him some kind of magical moral authority.

People who make hay out of children being shot are prone to be called an ass by me. Such is life.

I wasn't aware the basics weren't taught either. IIRC we had civics of some sort twice before senior year in separate units, when Government/Economics were required classes. I've always assumed it was a state requirement, but it's never occurred to me to ask any of my friends who attended other state schools if they had the same requirement or not. I loathed Econ, but my Gov teacher was at least enthusiastic and pushed those of us that were 18 by the 2004 election to educate ourselves, then vote. Which I appreciate, since so many people don't actually know who or what they're voting for IMO.

Re: coaches as teachers...I've had few coach-teachers, but out of the three I had only one appeared to care more about coaching than teaching. The other two weren't amazing teachers, but they were perfectly adequate. They aren't all bad.

I am not so sure that James Brady has the thought capacity to make some of the decisions that are made in his name when things such as this happen. I believe his wife and others are advising him and imay be taking advantage of his unfortunate situation. Maybe he is calling all the shots but I don't think so.

This is also interesting.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/...he-news_b48040#

Some Arizona Republican party officials resign after Tucson shooting


By Emi Kolawole

While federal lawmakers debate how best to increase safety for themselves and their staff, some Arizona Republican party officials are choosing to leave office in the face of threats.

A conflict that has been going on between local Arizona Republicans came to an end in the wake of the shooting in Tucson on Saturday when Arizona's Republican District 20 Chairman Anthony Miller and several others chose to resign.

The Arizona Republic reports that Miller, 43, a former campaign worker for Sen.John McCain who was re-elected to a second one-year term last month, has been concerned for his family's safety by constant verbal attacks and blog posts from some local committee members with tea party movement ties.

Miller told the state Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen via e-mail that he was quitting. "Today my wife of 20 yrs ask [sic] me do I think that my PCs (Precinct Committee members) will shoot at our home? So with this being said I am stepping down from LD20GOP Chairman...I will make a full statement on Monday."

Miller, the first and only African-American to hold the party's precinct chairmanship, said he had been called "McCain's boy," and that, during a speech, a member of the audience made the symbol of a gun with his hand and pointed it at him. "I wasn't going to resign but decided to quit after what happened Saturday," Miller said. "I love the Republican Party but I don't want to take a bullet for anyone."

Miller is not alone. The newly-elected Dist. 20 Republican secretary, Sophia Johnson, first vice chairman Roger Dickinson, and former district spokesman Jeff Kolb, also quit.

No Dee, I didn't have any sort of government class in HS.