Andrew Hacker's Does Algebra Matter?

Andrew Hacker, emeritus professor of political science at Queens College, City University of New York, wrote “Does Algebra Matter?” on July 28, 2012. The article discusses the cons of an education system that puts too much emphasis on advanced mathematics. Hacker argues that, although math is indeed important, the advanced mathematics we force high schoolers to take is unnecessary and possibly even detrimental to their learning experience and while I agree that the expectations America’s education system have regarding mathematics is unfair, I believe that Hacker’s proposals for fixing the issue are unrealistic.

Hacker cites the US’s dropout rates as the problem with high school level math. Hacker lists that, in the 2008-2009 academic year,

5). Hacker finishes by proposing that we treat math as a liberal art, in an attempt to rebrand the major, which currently has such a negative connotation for so many, as well as lessen its importance in America’s education system (Hacker 2012, P. 5).

Hacker believes that Algebra is unfairly weighted in the American education system and I agree. As Hacker states, “It’s not easy to see why potential poets and philosophers face a lofty mathematics bar,” this is because intelligence is almost never well-rounded, most people excel in certain areas and struggle in others, and expecting a person to excel in something that could possibly be on the other end of the spectrum of the things they do well, is unrealistic, not to mention cruel. That being said, I believe that Hacker’s proposed ideas to fix these issues are flawed as

I think what Hacker is asking for is a personalized education system. A system that caters to every students’ strengths and weaknesses and hand tailors them a curriculum designed with their personalities in mind. This is a great thought, but America has a terrible student to teacher ratio in schools and with the teacher shortage that number is not going to improve anytime soon and without teachers “personalized,” while being a great concept, is simply impossible. Schools know this and that’s why they have so much emphasis on so many subjects that seem so unnecessary to most people. The idea is that, even though most students won’t be able to apply most of their high school career to their actual lives, most will be able to apply some of their high school curriculum to at least part of their future. Obviously, this isn’t the most efficient process and it’s definitely the cause of a lot of the dropout rates, but this course of action does has the potential to still be successful. However, it’ll take the teachers learning to teach students standardized curriculum through personalized methods. If we can find new ways to teach all kinds of students all of the subjects, we won’t need to minimize any of them. Plus, finding new ways to teach doesn’t require new teachers, just new training. Obviously, this isn’t an easily