As a retired professor of chemical engineering and distinguished researcher at a national laboratory, I can affirm all that was written above. Very few US-educated students have sufficient preparation in mathematics to enter college science or engineering. As a parent of a bright, dedicated government school teacher, I can say with confidence that the problem stems from 1) the families of the students, who demand less homework, higher grades, and lower standards and 2) the school boards and principals who owe their jobs to the voters. Until WE demand better, we will not get it.
It’s racist to demand higher standards in math and science.