Your education system might not be perfect (like such thing exists on earth) but I like it and I think it's quite remarkable. At least, where I live. I like it for many many reasons, but mainly because of its flexibility.
That makes me sick and that's the last thing this country needs. Where I live as well, countless teacher's positions are being cut right now. My wife and my sister in law are one of them, and I know a few others teachers who are considering to pick up a new career. Politics is killing your education just like cancer kills people. I was myself considering to get a major degree in education but I have to change my plans.

Sorry to hear about your wife and sister-in-law being laid off. Since unemployment is high . . . tax revenue is low which is causing a shortfall in the county budget. The answer seems to be . . . lay off more workers ????
I agree, politics are responsible for most of our problems . . . =(

I can't remember much what I took up to 3rd grade. I moved around a lot, probably hitting 2 different schools each school year up to till I was 8 years old, and it's all kind of a blur. (I'm also really old, I was in 3rd grade 30 years ago so don't remember it well.)
Up until then thoughI do know a a teacher showed a map of Europe to our class at some time, because I remember asking about Lithuania ( my dad is from there). I also knew about Reykjavik Iceland when I was in second grade (OK I learned that from reading on my own , not from school). Also when I was 8 or so I remember we all knew what German meant. We found a toy Luger and one of my friends said "that's a German gun" and nobody was confused saying " what the hell does german mean?"
Just random other stuff from other grades that I can clearly remember. 4th grade I remember studying the continents and oceans, equator etc. Also how to differentiate types of rocks ( shale, quartz, pyrite), taking music and art classes.
5th grade-can't remember much except for some plays and doing math
6th grade- took a world history class, learned about neanderthals. Had a science class where we took an owl pellet and put the bones back together.
Junior high-took french, art, uhh some math classes and science classes but I can't remember specifically what. It's all blending in again.
9th grade- more world history, english and yeah uh... stuff.

Frankly, I'm still quite surprised at the direction that this thread on youth/pop culture has taken.