Concept of core classes are rooted and a his over from18th century America. I teach pre engineering courses and manufacturing. A lot of my kids aren't going to college, they need valuable life skills like how to show up to work on time, how to be proactive and not just wait for some supervisor to tell you what to do next.

Back to your point, I really distrust when the "system" is dictated because usually it's some one who's never been in the classroom deciding what policy is. Let's have school boards have more say.