California and the SF Bay Area decline to accept money to teach coding to kids

... and its a good thing. Seriously.<p>&quot;Coding&quot; is a skill that can be learned later, after (this is some of the things that my kids are learning):<p>1. math (algebra and better) 2. reading comprehension 3. writing both persuasively and clearly 4. science ( physical sciences ) 5. leadership courses 6. foreign language 7. basic computer as a tool ( how to google, type, create presentations)<p>The fundamental problems with this demand for kids to learn how to code right now:<p>1. What are they <i>not</i> going to learn (it is a zero-sum game) 2. Technology is expensive to <i>maintain</i><p>Sure offer it in high school. But K-5, my kids and the other kids in their class are not that interested in computers (except to play on).<p>There are other skills that are way, way more important at that age.

Of course, if you read the article, the headline is misleading:<p>1) California wasn&#x27;t being offered free money, it was being lobbied to let computer science substitute for existing math and&#x2F;or science requirements, and<p>2) San Francisco and Oakland are both in discussion with Code.org but haven&#x27;t adopted their program for the coming year, looking at doing it later -- we don&#x27;t know the details in SF because the short-notice call for comments wasn&#x27;t returned, but in Oakland&#x27;s case its at least in part because <i>they already have grants for teaching code to kids</i> from other private entities involved in a different program with overlapping objectives to Code.org.

As a home schooler it is shocking to me how technology is systematically devalued by the official curriculum, and I don&#x27;t mean just &quot;computers and stuff&quot; but things like how to sew a garmet or grow meat animals or how to wire up an electric outlet.