(The Center Square)–A majority of parents say it is important for high school students to learn civil debate skills, according to a new survey from EdChoice.
The survey examined public opinion on several education-related issues, including school choice policies, technology use in K-12 education and the teaching of “durable skills,” such as communication, critical thinking and teamwork.
It found 53% of Americans and 65% of school parents consider it very important for high school students to be taught civil debate and discourse skills.
Respondents were most supportive of integrating debate skills into core subjects like math, English, and science, while only about one in five Americans and school parents favored making debate a required stand-alone course for graduation.
Nearly 60% of parents rated their child’s school as excellent or very good at teaching durable skills. When asked who should be responsible for teaching these skills, most parents said it should be a shared effort between schools and families, while 18% believed schools should take the lead.
Durable skills also play a role in school choice decisions. About 45% of parents said the emphasis a school places on these skills would significantly influence their enrollment decisions, and more than 80% said it is very important for schools to prioritize them.
The survey also found strong parental support for several education policies. Two-thirds of parents, 63%, said their child should be allowed to have a cellphone at school, though only about one-third supported phone use in the classroom.
The movement to ban the technology from classrooms has gained bipartisan popularity among several state lawmakers. Around 76% of U.S. public schools have implemented some sort of ban.
Seventy-three percent of parents supported education savings accounts, while 10% opposed them.
Support was also high for 529 plans, which are tax-advantaged accounts for education expenses. Nearly 80% of school parents supported using 529 plans for K-12 education, and 44% said they are extremely or very likely to contribute to one.
EdChoice, along with Morning Consult, surveyed nationally representative samples of 2,250 adults and 1,300 school parents each month from August through November.
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Why One Survival Food Company Shines Above the Rest
Let’s be real. “Prepper Food” or “Survival Food” is generally awful. The vast majority of companies that push their cans, bags, or buckets desperately hope that their customers never try them and stick them in the closet or pantry instead. Why? Because if the first time they try them is after the crap hits the fan, they’ll be too shaken to call and complain about the quality.
It’s true. Most long-term storage food is made with the cheapest possible ingredients with limited taste and even less nutritional value. This is why they tout calories so much. Sure, they provide calories but does anyone really want to go into the apocalypse with food their family can’t stand?
This is what prompted the Llewellyns to launch Heaven’s Harvest. They bought survival food from multiple companies and determined they couldn’t imagine being stuck in an extended emergency with such low-quality food. They quickly discovered that freeze drying food for long-term storage doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor, consistency, or nutrition.
Their ingredients are all-American. In fact, they’re locally sourced and all-natural! This allows their products to be the highest quality on the market, so good that their customers often break open a bag in a pinch to eat because they want to, not just because they have to due to an emergency.
At Heaven’s Harvest, their only focus is amazing food. They don’t sell bugout bags, solar chargers, or multitools. They have one mission – feeding Americans in times of crisis.
What they DO offer is the ability for people to thrive in times of greatest need. On top of long-term storage food, they offer seeds to help Americans for the truly long-term. They want them to grow their own food if possible which is why they offer only Heirloom, Non-GMO, Non-Hybrid, Open-Pollinated seeds so their customers can build permanent food security on their own property.
