I stopped reading at this point. The author has no basis for constructing this article.
I have a BA in English and a graduate certificate in professional writing, but I went up to Calc III in college. Algebra is not impossible. We need to come up with more creative, practical ways to teach it.
If I had been taught algebra in the context of physics in HS, it would have clicked. Just the way my brain is wired.
Commenting on the foolishness of the original article, I'd have a few years ago been shocked by such “thinking”. No longer. Our nation seems now to be overrun (or run) by a bunch of “big thinkers” from junior high who, because they've had smoke blow up their rears for so long, honestly believe that any opinion they happen to develop is a) correct, and b) beyond brilliant.
Well I certainly agree with that. And the solution is pretty obvious to me. Here is the way you do it:
1. Burn all the politically correct, 10 lb, full color, very expensive algebra texts currently in vogue and ban their use forever.
2. Purchase any 1910 algebra textbook weighing in at 6-7 ounces or so and use it to teach algebra using the old fashioned and proven Theory, Example Problems and Problems for the Student approach.
Advantages: Schools save $billions, students learn algebra and they don't need a backpack to lug their math book to school.
"New York Times" is enough to cast doubt on the veracity of any column, particularly on the opinion page.
The are very few real "social scientists", even less competent and honest ones. The rest, >99.44%, are merely useful idiots.