“Get the FACS”

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“Get the FACS”

Heather says

I thought about writing a long-winded response to this. Instead, I’ll just share the comment I received (name removed) and share the mission statement of this site.

Home Ec 101 is a site dedicated to teaching a broad range of life skills to adults in a conversational and entertaining manner.

-Heather

Hi Heather,

I just wanted to share with you that I am a Family and Consumer Science teacher. Since 1994 the old phrase Home Economics was put to bed and our new name of FACS or Family Consumer Science was adapted nationally.

I’ve been having the hardest time converting people, the teachers here, my students regardless of age. I still see it mentioned on TV as Home Ec. But when I talk to new people I meet and I tell them I teach middle school, this is what happens always!

New Person:”oh? what do you teach?”

FACS teacher: Family and Consumer Science

NP: Really? What kind of science is THAT?

FACS: (sighing) You know, Home Ec.

NP: OHHH OK. That’s cool. They still have that in schools? Why did they change the name?

FACS: *face palm*

So through my travels on the web getting things for classes set up and I run across your book and now your website….perhaps I know why this name change is so difficult….because of people like you.

We don’t call a class “typing” anymore because the typewriter is dead and because of computers the name changed to keyboarding. The class called ‘shop’ isn’t for boys and it’s changed it’s name to Technology Education….again computers, tools, designing, autocad etc.

FACS changed from Home Ec because it’s not for girls anymore striving to be homemakers but all about the science of the family of consumers who are balancing anything and everything in our passages of life. My classes certainly are more boys some days….

Anywho, I just wanted to tell you this is my life’s work….converting, informing, enlightening those in the world that Home Ec is a retired word. We need to be aware of what is going on in schools, what we are teaching our kids because our parents don’t have the time to teach what I am trying to teach my students. There still is a big disconnect. Funds dwindling…cutting back….cut out the arts, cut out FACS….we don’t need these classes, they aren’t academic, they are old like Betty Crocker. Languages is what is important now!

Our appliances are computerized, we use computerized embroidery machines, we have our own laptop computer carts, we analyze food and diets on the internet, we use apps on our phones to check for food additives in what we eat. We prepare ethnic foods in our classes. We are valid, we are here, we are important. We aren’t classes full of girls who knit and make ham croquettes!

Please spread the word…..we are alive and well but living under a different name and school counselors are telling your kids to take “other classes” deeming us unimportant.

Thanks for taking the time for letting me vent….

Get the FACS….

Teaching your kids a lifetime of skills…