Is Algebra Necessary?

[Michael Hill]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Then I'm struggling to see how you could possibly think European history is not important. See artdutra04's post.

Because not once has anyone likened anything in a briefing to the Habsburg rein of Austria. Also, I used that in the sense that it has no real-life use outside of high school for most people.

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

You're taking an out of context quote from the article and attempting to use it to state that's what the article's premise is. The article is not arguing to make high school easier, but rather to change what we're teaching to be more applicable to everyday life. A large portion of the third page discusses possible alternatives to algebra to help make it more engaging and applicable to students with varying passions.

I realize that isn't the full premise of the article (though a generous portion of the article is precisely that, complaining that math is too hard). However, his whole argument is based on the fact that students aren't doing well in Math. If students were able to grasp algebra easily, this article would have never been written in the first place. The author is a prime example of someone who advocates the "dumbing down" of America just like No Child Left Behind. Algebra is something that many middle schoolers (including myself) took. It's not too much to ask of someone in high school to be able to take it either. High school today is no longer about educating students, but giving them a degree to get them out of the door....a McDiploma.