Posted: December 4th, 2013

argument, defending a position about whether or not high schools and colleges should require students to pass Algebra II.

Purpose:    Write an argument, defending a position about whether or not high schools and colleges should require students to pass Algebra II.

Topic: Make a claim. Provide reasons and evidence (specific data, quotations, statistics) to back your ideas up. Respond to the article:

Baker, Nicholson. “Wrong Answer: The Case Against Algebra II.” Harper’s Magazine.

Some guide questions:
•    Do you agree with Baker that schools should stop requiring students to study and pass Algebra II? If so, what specific reasons can you offer? 
•    Do countries who require all students to be high math achievers have success in the form of more brilliant scientists, more technological advances, and more wealth?
•    What is college for? Is it to create citizens who have knowledge that will make them a lot of money? Is it to create citizens who have artistic and ethical appreciation and who can create a great culture and civilization? Is it to create citizens who are critical thinkers and who can ensure that our democracy does not fall into tyranny? Or some combination of all of these goals?
        
    Things to include:

•    Key quotations from the article. 
•    Key references to specific details from what Baker says, or what other people quoted in the article say
•    Possibly, references to your own experience studying math.

One possibility: If you are disagreeing with him on some issue, you may use an Opposing Position Paragraph and Rebuttal in order to answer him.
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