Algebra to return to San Francisco middle school curriculum
After a decade of debate and division, the San Francisco Unified School District is adding algebra back into its eighth grade curriculum at a third of its middle schools starting next year.
"For fun, you definitely don't do math. At all. But as a subject in school, you probably would have to push through that, right?" says Carlos Quintanilla, a seventh grader at Presidio Middle School. Carlos is a part of the first class at the school who will be given a chance to opt in to algebra next year.
Carlos and his family have done the math and believe that taking algebra next year as an eighth grader will increase his odds of getting into a good college and, perhaps someday, help fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor.
"Maybe, medical stuff. I don't know -- being a surgeon seems fun. Tiring, but you know, fun," he said outside the school.
The decision to offer algebra to eighth grader reverses a long-standing district policy in which the course was not made available to students until they entered high school -- regardless of interest or aptitude. Critics say delaying algebra until the ninth grade hamstrung students who wanted to take calculus by the time they were seniors or needed advanced math when they were applying to college.
"Why are you holding our kids back?" says Rex Ridgeway, an outspoken critic of the district's previous policy.
Ridgeway's granddaughter Josie took who took two math courses - algebra and geometry - in a single year as a freshman to accelerate her education and allow her to take calculus by the time she was a graduating senior.
"Definitely, taking two math courses wasn't the way I wanted to do it," Josie Marroquin said.
Rex even campaigned in favor of Prop G -- a non-binding ballot measure -- that allowed San Francisco voters to weigh in on the issue.
Prop G passed with overwhelming support from voters -- nearly 82 percent -- in favor of the school system offering algebra to eighth graders like Carlos whose mother Angelica says it would be a welcome addition to the school's curriculum.
"It's important that they learn Algebra at a younger age. For me, it's important," Angelica Quintanilla.
Carlos says his family is likely to opt in to the Algebra program next year but he still has some nagging doubts about whether he's ready for the challenge.
"If I were to really want to enter Algebra, I feel like the conversation would go, 'Are you going to study? Are you going to be prepared?" he said.