Financial education in schools must be more than personal (opinion)

To the editor:

I was heartened to learn that half of U.S. states now require personal finance education (“A few years ago, eight states required personal finance education; now only half have. )”, January 11, 2024). But personal finance is more than just personal. Purchasing power was political power even before the Boston colonists boycotted British tea. Every dollar we spend is a vote, and we are doing our students a disservice if we fail to help them understand how their spending affects others. .

When students choose to spend money on fast food, fast fashion, or even chocolate bars, they need to understand the impact their purchases have on people, animals, and the environment. We want our students to become conscious consumers who are aware of the ‘true price’ of the products, food and energy they purchase, from the cultivation and sourcing of resources to the production, distribution and disposal stages. That’s what I think.

As Jonquil Hackenberg pointed out in a 2021 Forbes magazine In the article “Brands, you need to listen to the conscious consumers of the future,” we learn that the cocoa beans for our chocolate bars are grown on deforested land and harvested by enslaved children. , some brands may or may not be packaged in non-recyclable materials. .

Whether they buy or boycott, students are socially and socially responsible, understanding that they are not only current consumers, but also future founders and employees of what they want to be ethically sensitive. Develop the research and critical thinking skills needed to make environmentally responsible decisions. companies.

Steve Cochran
Managing director
Human Education Research Institute
Asheville, North Carolina