As freshmen, sophomores, and juniors choose their classes for the next school year, it can be fun to wonder what classes could potentially be offered at Berkeley High School. Lots of classes have come and gone at high schools across the nation.
One of these classes includes home economics. Home economics classes — known by many as “home ec” — were commonly implemented in American high schools in the late 1800s and early 1900s to teach students “domestic skills” like cooking, sewing, cleaning, budgeting, and child care. However, for many years, home economics was only taken by female students and men were either prohibited or discouraged from joining.
In recent times, gender barriers have begun to be broken down and opportunities for women in various professions have increased. With that, there's a newfound light for the potential reopening of home economics classes without the gender stereotype.
Ailsa Collier, a BHS senior and president of the Home Economics Club at BHS, has lots of fresh ideas for reintroducing home ec that would broaden the class to include things like financial responsibility. “I think teaching a lot of personal finance to kids and financial literacy (would be an important goal). In my economics class this year, my teacher is teaching us … different types of tax forms that you fill out for different scenarios … I think this should all be normalized earlier on in high school,” Collier said.
Collier’s club focuses on teaching students how to prepare for their futures. Attendees learn how to ask questions of the people around them, including their parents, neighbors, and teachers, and how to take advantage of BHS resources. Collier’s club focuses on helping high schoolers with financial education, applying for jobs and internships, and finding volunteering opportunities.
During the 1960-70s, home economics classes began to be criticized, being deemed as a way to pigeonhole women into the role of housewives. “To appeal to all genders, I would give presentations to classes and tell them about my club and why it is important … cooking, cleaning, sewing (is) important stuff that all people need to learn,” Collier said.
The main difference in a modernized home economics class would be inclusivity, and learning skills that are beneficial to students of all genders when they go off to college or enter the workforce. This new version of the class wouldn’t have the aspect of gender as a determining factor of whether someone should take it or not. Collier has had luck recruiting all kinds of students, showing that there’s no shortage of demand. “I just have to make sure that the space is welcoming to anyone. And I’ve gotten a lot of responses from all genders, so that's really good.” Collier said.
Home economics classes offer a unique opportunity to teach young people extremeley valuable life skills that can be applied outside of academic environments. By remodeling the ideas and concepts on which the class is based, it can reframe its sexist reputation and allow teens, no matter their gender, to gain competence in areas vital for adulthood and beyond.