Welcome to the world of New Math. Here in North Texas our children now get to "write" about their mathematical experiences in elementary and middle school.
Never mind that they don't know their 12 x 12 multiplication tables. Or how to do long division.
But they sure know how to write mis-spelled paragraphs telling you how hard it was to try.
Virtually none of my students (high school graduates all) have any competency in even simple grade-school mathematics. You wrote the perfect response, txzman - But they sure know how to write mis-spelled paragraphs telling you how hard it was to try.
They cannot do math. They cannot write. They refuse to think.
It's rather fortunate that they can't think. Otherwise, the likely future would frighten them as badly as it does me.