Math and Science Education

Your articles on our nation’s deficiencies in math and science make some very valid points (front page, Nov. 8-10). I admit to a fear of algebra, which goes back to my experiences in junior high! Thank heavens I had a wonderful teacher in fourth grade who drummed fractions into my head forever.

As for science, there’s a sad irony that two of the science questions should concern how the Earth began and whether human beings existed at the same time as dinosaurs. When we have a country where certain groups insist creationism be taught as a legitimate science, we can’t help but fail our youth. I see no problem in combining a belief in God with respect for science, but I do hope we can continue to strive for separation of state and religion.

Frankly, I feel when we try to please everyone educationally, we get nowhere. I suspect there’s more pressure than many care to admit about watering down scientific information. If we weren’t quite so squeamish about reality, there’d be no hesitation about education that deals with AIDS and sex, both of which deserve demystification. Indeed, it seems to me a good science background would put most things into clearer perspective, but that can’t happen when special-interest groups insist on diluting truth to serve a personal definition of morality.

BETTE-JEAN DARST, Oceanside