By Hannah Parker
Staff Writer
Currently, the idea to include home economics and other lifestyle classes to Costa’s course options should be taken under consideration. These classes, however only appeal to females and, therefore groom 1950s housewives, not career women.
Females are equal in ability to males. According to Drummond, Costa would be open to considering adding Home economics back into the curriculum. Yet, home ec has not been part of Costa’s curriculum for several years, and it should remain this way, as it encourages sexism.
Mira Costa previously provided home ec classes, yet they stopped offering them in 2005. This is because of Costa teachers’ retirement, Mrs.Reimer’s and the lack of students signing up. Since then, across California, budget cuts have caused the end of most home ec courses.
First introduced in the 1800s, home economics was created to compose a proper woman. During the American Home Economics Association convention of 1972, Robin Morgan, an acclaimed journalist, claimed that home economics turned women into “a limp, gibbering mass of jelly waiting for marriage”. Many schools, including Mira Costa, have dropped the course since, and it is no longer required nationally for all genders to take it.
Women make only 77.5 cents to every man’s dollar and four in ten businesses worldwide have no females in senior management, therefore it is Costa’s job to equip females for these obstacles. By including home ec in the curriculum, Costa is promoting females to live up to these statistics. Instead of increasing the funding for more beneficial classes, Costa could end up funding a class that encourages sexism.
According to senior Matteah Brow, other classes are more beneficial because they teach lessons that are applicable in the business atmosphere. Certain elective’s, such as java script or bio-engineering promote skills that are more useful in all career paths. Even if students do not choose to go down that particular path, these other electives teach public speaking and other skills which can be used in everyday life.
According to freshman Emma Goad, the overall concept of home ec does not need to be taught. Women need to know how to speak their opinions and ace an interview, not sew an apron. Her opinion is valid because, in a 2010 study by Catalyst, female workers make up 6.2% of the top earning positions. Because of this, it is Costa’s job to help female students obtain higher ranking and paying jobs to fight the injustice found in the work environment.
Home ec could be installed in Costa, only if stereotypical lessons are reformed to specifically assist in building career options. According to Costa Principal, Dr. Ben Dale, home ec will not appeal to most Costa students. By providing lessons on how to buy an apartment rather than how to sew a dress, home ec would appeal to all genders would be useful to the student body as a whole.
Some claim that the classic home ec is a necessary class for Costa, as millennials have the inability of caring for themselves. However, according to Costa freshman Kailey Taugner and Jayin Patel, their families have taught them basic cooking and cleaning skills. Clearly, this argument is invalid and the stereotypical ‘home economics’ class is unnecessary.
The typical home economics class not only instill sexism but is a waste of time for success driven students. With significant changes that focus on economics and businesses rather than chores, home economics could be considered, yet, Costa provides an array of beneficial electives that hold a paramount of importance over home economics.
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