I am appalled by the near-complete failure of public education in America with regard to history. As a historian, I am in contact with college students every day who have been massively let down by their history "educators", who more often than not are coaches who masquerade as history teachers. Their modus operandi is showing vaguely history-related films, often repeatedly, to their classes as a way of filling time and babysitting students they are unwilling to teach. Films like The Patriot are full of problems both historical and ideological in terms of use in the classroom and yet they are a staple of historical pseudo-pedagogy in the United States. I heard stories about this sort of film-based, essentially absentee teaching from friends in high school years ago and I hear nearly identical stories from students today.

It is shameful and such a deep disservice to students and the taxpayers that fund the multi-generational atrophy of historical education. It would be better for every sport to be eliminated from public schools than for students to be so deeply ignorant of both world and American history. Barring that, a good start in correcting this would be removing every teacher who won't teach. Until then, public schools will resemble sports academies more than institutions that turn out students equipped for basic functioning as adults. And if we wonder why the United States (and perhaps other nations as well) have a poorly educated and uncritical electorate, this is a part of the reason.  

And that's what I have to say about that.  

Nota bene: I take no issue with educators who wear multiple hats. Some coaches make fine history teachers and I applaud those who do right by their students. But a disturbing proportion do nothing and shame both professions.