Posted on 07/22/2017 5:15:30 PM PDT by grundle
The chancellor of the California community college system has stated that institutions algebra requirements are the biggest barrier for underemployed or unemployed Americans, and as such is a civil rights issue.
According to NPR, Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley is among a growing number of educators who view intermediate algebra as an obstacle to students obtaining their credentials particularly in fields that require no higher level math skills.
In an interview with the chancellor, NPRs Robert Siegel pointed out the low graduation rate in the community college system (48% for an associates degree), and then asked Oakley if ditching algebra wasnt just the easy way out.
Oakley retorted I hear that a lot and unfortunately nothing could be farther from the truth. Somewhere along the lines, since the 1950s, we decided that the only measure of a students ability to reason or to do some sort of quantitative measure is algebra.
What were saying is we want as rigorous a course as possible to determine a students ability to succeed, but it should be relevant to their course of study. There are other math courses that we could introduce that tell us a lot more about our students.
From the interview:
[Q]: Bob Moses , the civil rights activist, started the Algebra Project, teaching concepts of algebra to black students in the South. He saw the teaching of math as a continuation of the civil rights struggle.
Rates of failure in algebra are higher for minority groups than they are for white students. Why do you think that is? Do you think a different curriculum would have less disparate results by ethnic or racial group?
[A]: First of all, weve seen in the data from many of the pilots across the country that are using alternative math pathways that are just as rigorous as an algebra course weve seen much greater success for students because many of these students can relate to these different kinds of math depending on which program of study theyre in. They can see how it works in their daily life and how its going to work in their career.
[Q]: Do you risk a negative form of tracking? Depriving a student of the possibility of saying in community college: Wow, that quadratic equation is the most interesting thing Ive ever seen. I think Im going to do more stuff like this.
[A]: Were certainly not saying that were going to commit students to lower levels of math or different kinds of math. What were saying is we want more students to have math skills that allow them to keep moving forward. We want to build bridges between the kinds of math pathways were talking about that will allow them to continue into STEM majors. We dont want to limit students.
The last thing Id say is that we are already tracking students. We are already relegating students to a life of below livable wage standards. So weve already done so, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Heres a good debate on the merits of taking algebra, and this site provides good examples of when you use algebra
and dont even realize it.
Instead of increasing the quality of primary and secondary education the liberals' solution is to dumb things down even further.
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Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
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By "minorities" are we talking exclusively about American blacks? Because I'm pretty sure the rest of the "minorities" are doing just fine in algebra.
If global warmers actually practiced algebra and real math, they would never have been able to push the hockey stick theory.
If the public understood algebra they would know the global warming hockey stick is BS.
Why must we continually allow them to drag us down to their level?
Hahahahaha...
“Good for your son..!”
Usually when people toss that off, they’re bitter and pissed. It’s usually a hostile retort.
But I’m not, I genuinely MEAN it.
I’m pleased.
That explains all the people who believe that Global Warming/Climate Change nonsense.
It is so sad to see that half a century after Sputnik, we are still lagging behind the rest of the civilized nations in Math and Science.
>>drop algebra anyway as it is a waste of time ,and I have never used it since leaving school.<<
I use it frequently.
Math, especially algebra, should be known to any civilized person.
Easy solution, bring back vocational schools! The complaint is that the Community College is educating, not training. Do. The. Math!
One doesn’t need “Black/Ethnic/Gender ‘Studies’” either to get a job . .
But let’s see this professor (or anyone) advocate dropping those
Next up: Toilets in easy chairs.
If you do not mind, in what capacity do you use it in every day life, or is it to do with your job?
>>Easy solution, bring back vocational schools! The complaint is that the Community College is educating, not training. Do. The. Math!<<
Vocational question. The oil gauge shows 2/3 full. The engine holds 4 quarts of oil. How much oil does it need?
(this is for a high performance car that has an oil gauge)
I imagine you’re right about that.
I registered for a collage algerbra cpurse and on the first night I could see the instructor was a lunatic so I withdrew It was a very good move the giy was a terrible teacher and 15 of the 20 that stayed got F
Algebra also promotes an ordered thought process and logical, rules based approach to problem solving so it is a critical part of any education. It changes the way your think in a positive fashion, even if you never use it.
The reality is the radical egalitarian liberal education establishment realizes that we have created a huge population of lazy, low functioning, semi literate youths who cannot compete in today's technical world. Many exhibit very low intelligence and are compromised by prenatal fetal drug and alcohol damage to their brains and nervous systems which is made all the worse by their ghetto values mindset and socialization.
The radical egalitarians wish to “ level the playing field” so the generations of low functioning illiterates can compete on a one on one basis with higher functioning members of society.
Many of the these radicals are themselves low functioning academics who have advanced through affirmative action and have it through school only due to lower standards
The only way they can level the playing field is destroy any and all objective standards and eliminate the concept of a meritocracy.
This has been going on for decades, it's just that they are becoming open about their objectives.
FWIW, sometimes it's good to have the academic background because you never know when you may need it later in life. About half the things I have done were covered in classes I though were a waste of time covering subject matter I would never need or use.
Life can be strange that way
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