Is Algebra Necessary?

Is Algebra Necessary? is a New York Times article published this summer, which makes the argument that advanced math courses should be optional in high school curriculum. Andrew Hacker argues that forcing kids to undergo calculus and trigonometry when they are clearly meant for language-based careers hinders the country's ability to discover young talent, encourages kids to drop out, and may not even help develop the skills needed for the current technology and science-based job market. Hacker has taught at Cornell, and currently is a professor of political science at Queens College. He has co-written a book (Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids — and What We Can Do About It) and contributes to the New York Times frequently. In a country that has seen a drastic decline of the education of its young people, and an increasingly competitive worldwide market for high-level jobs, most politicians and educators are advocating the development and expansion of mathematics in high schools and colleges. But Hacker does a remarkable job at persuading the American public that not only is algebra useless to kids looking to pursue jobs in psychology and the like, but it can actually hurt these kids if failing math becomes the reason they drop out.  Hacker appeals to his readers mainly through the use of logos, such as when he writes, "To our nation’s shame, one in four ninth graders fail to finish high school. In South Carolina, 34 percent fell away in 2008-9, according to national data released last year; for Nevada, it was 45 percent. Most of the educators I’ve talked with cite algebra as the major academic reason" (SR1). He also uses "They Say/I Say" throughout the article.
When I first started reading this article, I was largely biased towards the necessity of advanced math in high schools and colleges, because I've grown up hearing about Americans needing to be more proficient in math and science to keep up with the kids in China, Canada, and other countries.  I have always been pretty strong in math, but I also have friends that are just clearly not meant for that path, and I've always felt sympathetic for their struggles with algebra. After reading the article, though, I think kids and their parents should be able to make informed decisions about whether or not math beyond a standard level (such as Geometry) is right for them. Since I was persuaded toward Hacker's strong opinion, I would say he has accomplished his purpose very effectively.