Why should an artist be forced to learn math, or a computer science genius have to participate in P.E.? At first glance, it may seem akin to lifting a fish out of water. As students progress through high school and become increasingly confident in their academic pursuits, there is a seemingly unnecessary focus on mandatory courses. While some may not align with students’ interests or future career paths, it is crucial to recognize the value of a well-rounded education.
Lexington High School, like many others, requires students to take four years of math, science, history, and English courses. Alongside these core subjects, students must also obtain eight World Language credits, eight Fine and Performing Arts credits, six Physical Education credits, and two Health credits. Miranda Becker, a sophomore, believes that having to take mandatory classes limits her ability to explore topics she is genuinely interested in.
“I am taking AP Biology, and it is the first AP class I am taking. I feel that I have grown to like the sciences much more than ever before,” Becker said.
The benefits of the current system depend on the individual student and their preferences. Some students may opt to take more elective courses due to their broad range of topics. Others, particularly those with a clear career path in mind or strong preferences, may question the relevance of certain classes, advocating against their necessity.
Matthew Linden, a World History II and AP World History teacher, still thinks it’s valuable for students to explore topics beyond their chosen subject of interest.
“It’s definitely true that not everyone will go into a field of work where every class will be relevant to them… But I think that we should broaden our goals to be beyond just profession. Every class has those deeper skills that are really important for people to be well-rounded and thoughtful,” Linden said.
This sentiment is echoed by LHS alumni Ronald Du, whose experiences in the post-high school world allow him to reflect on his own experiences.
“A lot of the stuff you learn in high school won’t be directly relevant to the career you are in ten [or] twenty years later, but despite that, there is still inherent value about being educated with what’s around you. Having a variety of mandatory classes that I had to take exposed me to areas that I could be interested in and gave me a broader base of knowledge to go off with,” Du said
Ultimately, school should foster an environment that allows students to explore their passions while building skills in a diverse variety of areas.
“The fundamental skills that I want students to come out of my class with… is that they are interested in learning more about the world, that they feel like they have the skills to learn about the things that they’re interested in, and that they have a positive relationship with learning rather than an adversary one where they feel like learning, or history isn’t for me,” Linden said.
As Linden explains, an inherent aspect of high school education is that it allows students to learn more about life paths and go in-depth with the topics they are passionate about. This is not only important for developing a strong understanding of the world, but it also allows students to take advantage of more opportunities in the future using the fundamental skills that they have learned in different classes.
“Just because we don’t know what the future holds for us, and we don’t know when we’re going to be inspired by something new, I don’t think we should cut ourselves off from learning about new subjects just because we’re fairly confident we might want to do something with the rest of our lives,” Linden said. “I want every student, ideally, to feel curious about the world.”
