Precious financial resources are being wasted in public education by requiring all students to master higher math--principally algebra--despite their aptitudes, needs and interests.

Algebra is a foreign language, full of coded constructions, special formulas and definitions--and absolutely useless unless practiced continuously by the few who need it.

General mathematics, on the other hand, provides the practical, day-to-day skills needed by everyone to add, subtract, divide, multiply, figure percentages, etc. It is a skill as basically important as reading, writing and speaking English.

Scientists, engineers and technicians obviously need skills in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus. But no evidence exists that the overwhelming majority of high-, medium- and low-profile careers and jobs need math skills beyond the basics.

No argument about educators needing to discover the math aptitudes and interests of all students. And strongly encourage gifted and motivated students to acquire higher-math skills.

But using higher-math proficency as a requirement for graduation from high school and college is patently unfair to students planning to study and work in the arts and humanities. Since when do drama teachers, social workers, journalists and law-enforcement officers--among many others--need higher math?

Forget the perpetuated nonsense that mandatory studies of higher math and foreign language are necessary for a "well-rounded" education. If that were true, schools still would be requiring the study of Latin. Yech.(22 OCTOBER 2000)

E-mail: higgens@aol.com