Don't read articles about your old high school

[fixermark]

The subject is good advice.

Apparently, my old high school (a regional magnet) has about 20% applicants who are African-American. But only 7% of the student body is African-American. Some people have a problem with this, so a group at the University of Virginia did a study on the issue. They had several recommendations---some good, some I take

Comments

[whitemage]

You have made an eloquent argument for education in mathematics...which is a terrible argument for requiring an algebra course

[redglasses]

I think you've misidentified the problem. Teaching algebra earlier won't help those black kids - they're not taking algebra because they start out behind, with a lower average socioeconomic status which leads directly to worse average performance in school. Forcing them into harder math earlier will just result in worse grades. You could bring up the admittance scores by applying socioeconomic corrections to the admissions process, but then you'd get students who are unprepared for a magnet school. The only real solution is to take on the much larger problem that trying to learn sucks when your parents don't care and your school is full of gangs.

However, I would contend that getting a basics statistics class in high school would help most people a lot more than calculus.

[whitemage]

I should add: Thank you for prompting a discussion! I enjoy reading your thoughts on these and other issues.

[bcutiepie]

I have to say Mark I enjoyed reading your response here and to the article about school. I've been holding back any immediate responses because the entire article thoroughly angers me, and I hate seeing all of these things being said about a school I so dearly loved