TOW #12: "Who Says Math Has to Be Boring?" by The New York Times Editorial Board

I am definitely not a math person, but the article "Who Says Math Has to Be Boring?"
made me understand just how important math is for everyone's future, given the way the world is turning, and that STEM subjects are not well-taught in high school.

I hate math.  It's as simple as that.  I'm not very good at it, I don't find it interesting, I don't see how I personally will use half the things I learn, and I find it rather tedious, difficult, and confusing.  However, the article "Who Says Math Has to Be Boring?" that recently appeared in the opinion section of The New York Times has made me think about math a bit differently; perhaps the subject is not inherently mundane and, as I often call it, awful, but maybe the way it has been introduced to me is.  The editorial argues that high schoolers do not appreciate the value of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subject or career and do not even have the skills necessary to pursue those things.  However, instead of blaming the students, the article blames the education system for not sufficiently teaching students about these topics.  Despite the fact that it was in the opinion section, the article uses many hard statistics and appeals to the authority of a certain President Obama to prove that STEM careers and skills have been sorely neglected in high school. 
A person's mere opinion about how STEM  subjects and careers are undervalued by high school students may not be enough to convince readers that there is actually a problem.  However, the Editorial Board supplements their opinion with statistics, often from distinguished universities and organizations.  For example, they write, "Nearly 90 percent of high school graduates say they're not interested in a career or a college major involving science, technology, engineering or math, known collectively as STEM, according to a survey of more than a million students who take the ACT test" (Editorial Board 1).  No one can deny that 90 percent is a pretty high number, especially considering the population of high school students in the United States.  Having a statistic like that, in addition to the others, makes it easier for readers to believe that the STEM awareness and ability situations is dire and that the suggestions the Editorial Board makes are warranted.
Towards the end of the article, there is a section where the writers suggest that schools give students real-life experience in the world of STEM and talk about President Obama's position on the topic.  They write, "... high school in Brooklyn known as P-Tech, which President Obama recently visited... prepares students for jobs like manufacturing technician and software specialist... President Obama announced a promising new grant program to encourage dozens more high schools to offer job-oriented STEM education" (Editorial Board 1).  As the leader of our nation, President Obama is a public figure, and often his opinions are emulated by others.  When one hears that he visited a technical school, one realizes that the school must be in some way extraordinary.  When one hears that he announced a grant that would allow high schools to educate students so they can enter STEM careers, one realizes that high schoolers must not be interested in STEM or have the necessary skills.  Name-dropping President Obama shines a light on this issue, making the public more aware of it and classifying it as something worth paying attention to. 


Article link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/opinion/sunday/who-says-math-has-to-be-boring.html?ref=opinion&_r=0