[Thane_Banquo]

A large fraction of the population does not have the capacity for abstract thinking to do Algebra II,

Yes, they're called liberals.

Algebra II is not hard. I went to a private high school, and until reading this argument I thought public schoolers were required to take Algebra II just like I was.

[truthkeeper]

I disagree. It's not that they necessarily ARE liberals, but they may very well have been TAUGHT BY liberals.

See, I can make logical connections. ;-)

[oh8eleven]

Algebra II is not hard.
Easy for you to say - and me too. I took four years of math in HS, aced three out of the four and did most of it without even doing the homework.
Forty years later I have two kids - one teaches HS math (and can barely write a sentence), the other an English Lit teacher who can barely balance his checkbook.
Personally, I think the forced math requirement in HS should be dropped once a kid learns how to make change for a dollar in his head.

[ScottinVA]

Algebra II is not hard. I went to a private high school, and until reading this argument I thought public schoolers were required to take Algebra II just like I was.

I also went to a private high school and took Algebra II. I did find it challenging, but got through it anyway. I, too was surprised public schoolers aren't required to take it.