Oh.... ok, got it!
Interesting question. I think certain facts make the cut because they always have. We really have not significantly altered our curriculum for many, many years. The facts we learn today are still basically the ones we "needed to know" during the Industrial Revolution for the most part. Education has not exactly kept up with the times.
In terms of why we do not teach more common sense things that would help kids better understand and appreciate the systems in their homes, communities, and the world around them... I don't know. I agree that we could do a better job of this. On a positive note, I taught in the US for a couple years and I can tell you their curriculum was far worse in my opinion. High school and university kids had no idea about basic concepts like balancing a budget or how interest rates work.
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