Bert and Ernie read about Antifa.

I have so many political philosophy books on my shelf that I would make mandatory reading in high school if I could.

i would make reading mandatory, but not any particular books

Reading is mandatory unless you're in inner city public schools (conservative ba-dum tiss moment).

In all seriousness, I think a wide breadth of history and philosophy is the most important reading and everyone should receive it. Learning how to think and how to appreciate the lessons of the past are critically shunted aside in favor of glamorizing math and the sciences above all else. Everything has its place!

umm. glamorizing history and philosophy as the most important reading over math and the sciences doesn't feel right to me. history is certainly practical. i never took philosophy but my best friends throughout grad school were philosophers who didn't seem to get much benefit from it. my colleagues were scientists who received practical training and went on to have engaging careers in education and the pharmaceutical industry. we didn't think of it as glamorous, just a good choice based on personal interest and a desire to help people. my college required everyone to have substantial background in the humanities and social sciences, which certainly worked for me. my employers since then have tried to do that too, but it would be great to see each student have more freedom to choose their own kind of curriculum within their major.

high school students take history, math, science, english, and other core subjects for practical reasons (and to explore their potential lifetime interests). that's not going to change dramatically, i hope. anyone who wants to try shop, philosophy, psychology, languages, other cultures, sociology, film, art, geology, etc., should be welcome to. they all have practical potential, too. we shouldn't force anyone to take an elective subject just because we value it ourselves. reading, rampantly and copiously, is a great way to weigh choices, expand perspective, and gain wisdom.

Surviving is practical, but living well requires ascending beyond mere survival. I'm not bashing stem majors at all. Indeed, for those who want to enjoy guaranteed work and make a good living I think the ultimate path is either a stem field or any trade. Those are noble pursuits. But if you want to be more than a cog in a machine you need to know how it was built (history) and you need to be able to conceive and adjust your ideal conception of it (philosophy).

Especially these days, where we're raised to think of the current order and academia as infallible and righteous, I think it's critical we raise people who know WHY, not just HOW. This is stuff that we can absolutely do in high school and college.

sounds good except thinking of academia as infallible and righteous. i've met a few people who are very respectful of academia, and many in academia are noble. and some feel righteous, and a few feel infallible, but not the vast majority that i know. most are humble and very well-meaning.

In my journey through college I have gotten to know many extremely good academics, just like you. But there are tons who aren't at higher levels and they're plaguing it for the rest of us. Journal space and grants are increasingly available only to those who think with the scientific establishment, which is proving problematic and stifling innovation (as an example).

Nope, this is the country that inspired Nazi Effing Germany.