You don't need to learn to code, and neither do your kids

I'd take a different tack. It's like mathematics. (Hell, it is mathematics.) Every educated, conscious person should have some familiarity with, and hopefully curiosity about, math. In my opinion. Very few of us (certainly not including me) seem to have much in the way of natural aptitude for it, though. In fact, most of us seem to have an anti-aptitude. That doesn't change its importance.

I say that not because you need to do arithmetic (that's what calculators are for) or because you'll need to actually ever use the calculus they taught you back in high school (you probably won't). But because math underlies everything else. If a student comes out of their grade school math classes unable to do long division or solve a linear equation, but with an intuition for basic ideas in set theory and probability, I'd call that a roaring success.

In analogy to that, while you may not need to learn to code, I do think you need some computer science to understand the modern world.

I agree 100%

I have been feeling this for a long time and I fully expect the tide to turn in sometime.

I agree.

...with some qualifiers.

Everyone, or let us say a whole lot of people, should be given a go. We do this with some basics, like public speaking, even if that is just presenting something in class.

At the very least, literacy will come up and basic concepts will be better understood. Just the idea of asking a computer to do something we want it to do makes a whole lot of sense to have out there as a baseline.

And I am thinking about law and other core aspects of our society and how decisions can be made.

Now, the most interesting bit in this to me is your last statement:

"I don't believe we are smarter than everyone else."

Yeah, neither do I.

Smarts come in many forms, by way of one supporting statement I can add.

Secondly, while we all definitely have some upper limits, above which we just do not get it, those are not generally high enough to put most things out of reach for most people.

The idea of many things being out of reach is harmful, in my view.

What it can mean is work. But, it also can mean doing the work gets us into doing the thing too. And that doing the thing part is where all the action is!

I find that empowering, and it was drilled into me very young by mentors who did me more good than they may realize.

For me, software is not a full time focus, for example. I can code, and often when I do, it is scripting, or lower level where the bits are, embedded style. And I have to spool that up, sometimes being away from it.

Basically, I need to do the work, but when I do, I also end up doing the thing too. Fine by me.

As a kid, the other thing drilled into me was skills. Just do shit. Lots of interesting shit and do not worry about failure. Keep at it, ask questions, get help, and in general, do the work to get skills.

That has always paid off. Either I can get a skill that is needed, or I need myself for whatever reason, or I can apply one I have and get something done, or ramp up on a thing reasonably, competently.

To me, getting more young people into more experiences, developing whatever skills their inclinations and adventures lead them to is most important.

They learn yes, they too are smart enough, and they learn how to do the work. It won't always be true. Some people just may not have doing the thing in their nature. Happens.

Given some diversity and education on how to develop and understand ones nature, I submit that negative outcome will happen a lot less, and that body of people who understand these things will be a high value, robust resource.

Just the kind of people I want to hand it all off to as I watch and share what I got out of life in my old age, same as people in my life did for me long ago.

Someone has to take this all forward, and we all get old.

As much as I'd prefer to be a baker or tradesman, I know you're not going to pay me anything near what you get for coding. Gonna fake it until I make it, maybe even be a very mediocre or bad coder, but at least you'll pay me better than destroying my body at some trade for slightly above poverty wages.