science. Therefore, learning maths and science is important.
Way too much time is spent on math facts and way too little is spent on understanding what a fraction is, for example (at the elementary level). And this continues throughout the K-12 cursus. Kids solve 30 equations a night, but never see how to apply these equations in the practical world. Does any kid know what the Pythagorean Theorem was intended for (except driving kids nuts).
We live in a society where the importance of maths and sciences is at the same time ridiculously increased (which frightens some) and ridiculously diminished (in articles like the one). We may not need mathematicians, but we need people with a solid foundation in maths and sciences, and this includes algebra and geometry.
One of my kids is graduating from college. The other one from HS. They both aced their maths placement test in college. However, because my oldest was not that much exposed to the concepts in HS, he had trouble with his statistics class and ended with a D.
So, if the point is that maths is poorly taught, I agree. If it is that we need less maths, I could not disagree more.
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