Why Aren’t We Teaching Kids Trades Anymore? Oh, Because We Defunded Schools for Decades—Duh.

Why Aren’t We Teaching Kids Trades Anymore? Oh, Because We Defunded Schools for Decades—Duh.

No, seriously—ever wonder why public high schools don’t have more classes in auto mechanics, carpentry, or construction? Ever ask why your kid doesn’t know how to change a tire but can recite the quadratic formula?

Here’s the truth, and it’s a slippery slope that’s been years in the making:

Decades of defunding public education. Gutted budgets, crumbling classrooms, and teachers buying their own supplies.

High-stakes standardized testing. Pushed not to actually help kids, but to prove those “woke teachers” are the problem, not, say, the billionaires hoarding tax dollars.

Rhetoric vs. reality. Politicians love to rant, “Why aren’t we teaching life skills? Why aren’t we pushing trades?” while cutting the exact funding that would make that possible.

So yeah, look in the mirror, America. The call is coming from inside the house.

Oh, and here’s the kicker: while watching the New Jersey Republican primary debate (because yes, someone has to), it’s painfully obvious that they’re still blaming teachers for the mess they helped create. It’s like defunding the fire department and then yelling at the firefighters when your house burns down.

Want more trades in schools? Try funding them first.