“Our math teaching is half a century out of date, and without math there is no STEM”
50 years ago our public schools had very good math programs with many student learning calculus. But then a judge kicked God out of our schools and another banned discipline from our schools. Then the lawyers in our legislatures destroyed the independant school districts. The results is graduates who function at a 7th grade level who are unfit for college or the work force necessitating immigrants to fill those spots.
The biggest reason math is taught poorly at the K12 level is because learning the basics (as in algebra!) takes effort!
People have no problem justifying hours & hours of sports practice but for math that’s too much to ask of the students, teachers or parents.
Also math results in possible grading consequences that are socially uncomfortable. Though these “uncomfortable results” might be over come by effort. Effort which can no longer be asked for or demanded.