“America Sucks At Math. Solution? Cut Out Algebra?! | SimplePolitiks

After reading this link, one can’t help but think that the typical American in his capacity for critical thought is much worse than one thought. One out of four students in America struggles with basic Algebra. For crying out loud, it takes five courses just to pass the subject. That’s three to five years down the tube.

Evidence of the dismal situation is apparent from the fact that many American colleges require basic Algebra as a prerequisite course. As a basis for comparison, every other culture requires its sudents to acquire this skill by the age of thirteen. And yet, for some reason, a large segment of Americas future workforce is sorely deficient in this skill. Forget trigonometry and calculus, these individuals do not have the facility for basic math.

What may not surprise some of us is that this deficiency is immune from any form of bias. It does not discriminate based on race or economic circumstances. It is not influenced by genetic, physical or environmental factors. Its only nemesis is a minimum of effort and respect for learning; an effort that will only follow from respect.

For the majority of the population, society hardly expects them to be of the highest caliber. To pass the subject is a minimum requirement for most societies. But, what is it that makes this failure standout in American culture ? After much soul searching, one may find that it resides in a character flaw and defect; a character defect that afflicts the host in its many manifestations of decay and regression. It is a character defect that is mainly attributable to the pervasive influence of a culture.

One way of looking at this problem is that it mirrors our larger society. If this problem is a microcosm of the country at large then we may be in for a rude awakening. The problem may only be a symptom of a larger dynamic. It is a dynamic we all recognize as a culture of power without any sense of responsibility; a culture of privelege without any sense of obligation; a culture of the strong that identifies any form of respect as a sign of weakness.

After all, how does one teach respect ? There are no formulas or guidelines to follow. Either you have it or you don’t. Alas, upon further reflection, we may find that it all begins with the family. A place of learning unlike any other, the family unit is the foundation block that informs and inspires the rudimentary skills for learning; a process of learning which must always begin with a sense of respect; and a sense of respect which can only flourish in a place we call humility.