Most jobs for employers only need the basic skills of basic math such as addition, multiplication, division and decimals.
In fact, there are very few entry level jobs for graduating high school students that require algebra. Name one if you can. I guarantee it will be the exception, not the rule.
For the sake of the graduating students, they should be prepared for a bit more than an entry level job if they want to advance.
It used to be that high school graduates went on to very lucrative careers in trades and skilled labor, where not only algebra but trig are requirements.
The requirement here is that they be able to be productive members of society - and that’s a big more of a requirement than bagging groceries at the local supermarket.