Another victim of the new math, perhaps? I was one of the experimented upon children for that and Chomsky's Transformational Grammar. It was easier overcoming the math deficit than the grammar deficit ;-)
I was the New Math victim and overcame it.
My New Math textbook was stapled sheets titled "School Mathematics Study Group" and had my 1962 Jr. HS instructor's name on it, William Devenney. Since, I find him commenting on low achievers in math. Ho ho.
I retired from a career in Naval nuclear power. Admiral Rickover 'taught' remedial math and physics.