Finally, the truth:
There is no single established body of math skills (ditto science skills) that everyone needs to know.
Different sets of math skills are useful for different careers, according to two leading academicians in a New York Times opinion piece.
Dubya's No Child Left Behind cookie-cutter law mandates algebra and other higher math courses for every student regardless of aptitude, ability or relevancy.
Which is probably why "right-brainers" struggle and mostly fail, fueling America's horrendous dropout rates.
The experts--a director of the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications and an emeritus university professor of mathematics--say most students would be served better by studying practical math essentials in budgeting, taxes and other real living and occupational situations.
NCLB and its lock-step supporters see all students as engineers, scientists or medical specialists--not elementary teachers, artists, journalists, social workers, librarians, law-enforcement officers and other vital professionals.
Tragically, many of NCLB's dropouts would have gone on to successful studies and careers in those arts and humanities. (11 SEPTEMBER 2011)
