Mathematically Challenged - Years of failed education policies have left
our nation with a new disabled class of citizens, the Mathematically
Challenged.

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Flo Maureen Sielaff - wapsiden@netins.net
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Mathematically Challenged
by Flo-Maureen Sielaff
January 27, 2001

Mathematically Challenged
by Flo Maureen Sielaff
Truth Or Consequences

U.S.A. -- Georgia is a 74 year old woman who works at her neighborhood Burger
King as a cashier. One of the main reasons given for her hiring was that she
knew math and could properly accept payment for orders and dispense the
correct amount of change. Candace is a 20 year old woman who attends college
full time while also working for a grocery store. The owner of the store has a
policy of not hiring high school students as they are inclined to not have math
skills. Matthew will be 14 in May and doesn't know how to subtract 6 from 9 nor
add 8 plus 6 *.

Doing a search online for just the word math I found a plethora of information.
Online activities for all ages is abundant. But once again I was reminded of the
many fields whereby math would be an essential criteria. Mathematically Correct
( http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com ) put my feelings best into words stating,
"The advocates of the new, fuzzy math have practiced their rhetoric well. They
speak of higher-order thinking, conceptual understanding and solving problems,
but they neglect the systematic mastery of the fundamental building blocks
necessary for success in any of these areas." They go on further to state,
"Concerned parents are in a state of dismay and have begun efforts to restore
content, rigor, and genuinely high expectations to mathematics education." (For
in-depth information regarding this subject this site is highly recommended.)

During his presidency William J. Clinton initiated numerous actions relevant to
our nation's school system and still our nation's children are deprived of the
simplest of success tools for life, the ability to read, write and do simple math.
When coming on board in 1993 one would assume he intended to not pickup
where his predecessor had left off regarding education but to supposedly make
effective changes. Though education was not specifically mentioned in his first
inauguration speech he stated, "And so, my fellow Americans, at the edge of the
21st century, let us begin with energy and hope, with faith and discipline, and let
us work until our work is done. The scripture says, "And let us not be weary in
well-doing, for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not."" And in his second
inauguration speech he stated, "Our land of new promise will be a nation that
meets its obligations - a nation that balances its budget, but never loses the
balance of its values". With regards to education one might question his intended
results as the consequences of his ineffectiveness at actually improving our
children's basic education skills has certainly been documented. And, our
system has reaped what it has sown. America's children have been taught the
values of the liberal left while being left behind without the tools we are obligated
to provide for them. Thankfully Clinton's "well-doing" as our President is done.
But what about George W. Bush who has taken over in that helm? Are we as
citizens destined to a continuance of weariness over failed education policies?

President George W. bush recently stated, in his speech "No Child Left Behind",
"The federal role in education is not to serve the system. It is to serve the
children". It would appear that President Bush has already forgotten who should
be served as he has suggested that federal tax funds be allocated for use by
parents to send children to private schools only after the child has been failed by
the system 3 years in a row. Excuse me for not understanding this logic, but
even those who advocate tolerance should have a problem regarding this. After 8
years of more new school programs supposedly intended as improvements upon
our failing education system, our new president advocates giving it an additional
3 years to fail our children before parents are aided with a tax break to provide
alternative schooling?

Logic would also dictate that it is not enough to continue funding public
education or imply that alternative educational sources provide the best remedy.
Yearly testing aimed at providing a progress report for each child's education is
also needed. No child should be left behind because they haven't learned the
basics and others are too afraid to change what they have allowed and caused to
fail.

It is not too late to save our children from the ranks of the Mathematically
Challenged disability group. It is not too late to undue the damage caused; this
disease is one which We The People can cure!

Georgia is my mother, Candace is one of my nieces and Matthew is one of my
nephews. Though my mother and my niece have profited with the benefit of
having part time positions which they both desired, I can't put it out of my mind
that Matthew won't qualify for even meager paying positions of this type much
less other positions requiring advanced math skills. Searching my mind for
positions which wouldn't require this learned skill I found myself wanting. Just
what positions are available whereby one wouldn't have to know even the
simplest of math?

* Matthew is home schooled by his mother who stated with an embarrassed
shrug, "It must not have been covered in his school books".

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Flo-Maureen Sielaff