Alan Matsuda.  Why is it the DOE's job to teach children how to cross the street by requiring a "course"?  Have we a nation of incompetent parents?  The school can reinforce safe behaviors, but a course?  Every minute given to "parenting" children means less time for reading, writing, math, science, work skills, thinking skills, and all the things that help students become competent and, one would hope, be competent parents someday.  We have become a nation that looks to government and its institutions to solve all of our problems when we should be looking in ours mirrors.  When we've given all our freedoms away to the government and have no autonomy whatsoever in how we live our daily lives, we will be Venezuela.  How nice!