Finance is more than the stock market. When I took a class on personal finance, I, too, wondered why it wasn't taught in high school. Personal finance gives you a basic grounding in: - How the economy works and how it affects you - Income taxes - Employee sponsored health care plans/FSAs/HSAs - Life insurance/annuities and health insurance - Budgeting and cash flow - How stocks and bonds work

So yes, there is coverage of the stock market, but it is a very narrow slice of the pie when you're talking about an entry level personal finance class.