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Is that why the French invented the IQ test in the early 1900s? To decide which children would experience difficulty in moving forward to more difficult classes.
Can you imagine the cultural backlash nowadays if we did similar?
Right, it's not politically correct. Nevertheless, competent teachers are in fact currently doing this.
Parents may protest, so if they want to set up their kid for failure, it's their call.
Seems to me that any "smart" kid can do Algebra, but some bright kids, who get A's in everything else, struggle with Algebra II and higher maths.
That's when they decide that a STEM career may not be in the cards.
My son took Algebra in middle school.
They are learning intro(pre) in elementary school. They are also learning basic Geometry and some minor trig.
My point above was there are plenty of programs that make learning algebra more efficient and interesting. There are plenty of programs if used correctly can eliminate the need to know it altogether depending on what career you will choose. Take your pick. Like you said, those who need it can take it, those who don't can skip it.
Why would we torture kids,( who've now grown up with computers, learning most of what they know at high speed from around the world), with a pencil, book and a lecture? It might not be an IQ issue at all.
More and more kids will lose interest this way. Despite what some want, things are going to change and are changing quickly. If they have a math interest they've probably already been on Khan Academy or Learn4u or one of the many popular math programs out there.
This old fashion approach is becoming more foreign to them by the day. Going to school is really about daycare options, you can learn most of these subjects on the net at home. School is social and a place for kids when you work. It's getting less and less exciting as a learning facility.
If we really took an interest on helping kids wade around this maze and stopped protecting the "way it's always been," then I believe we'd see an improvement. Until then we can just keep classes kids have no interest in. I don't think it's the best solution, especially when a lot of kids are surpassing this knowledge at home with the use of technology.
If kids in lower income districts had access to more computers and upgraded systems we'd see a big difference there as well. This has been proven in trials. My kids learned coding and Japanese on their own in high school. They didn't offer either in school.
Algebra 1 or Basic Algebra whatever you want to call it has always been a litmus test for higher math courses.
It should be taught and if a kid is not reasonably proficient for whatever reason then fine move them to high school level business math etc...
The problem is all the other crap taught in school from k-8 without sufficient time spent on building core disciplines. By the time many kids get to 9 grade they are not ready for basic Algebra. Sad state of affairs
Two of my kids wizzed thru math up to Calculus with A's one of them was doing Multivarible Calculus with Theory by the 12th grade.
The third one didn't make it past Algebra 2, which is fine but she struggled to barely get a C. Didn't give up though and now im 12th grade is doing college level Statistics.
Lots of crying and tough nights with the last one but she never gave up.
Your third child has demonstrated the skill of perseverance which will serve her well in life regardless of the path she chooses.
Seems to me many parents increasing expect their local schools to do more parenting than teaching. For example, many middle schools have experienced sexting scandals in middle school. Parents demand the school " do something". It does not seem to dawn on many that perhaps their kid lacks the emotional and cognitive maturity to possess a phone with unlimited functionality. So instead the parents demand programs to teach their kids about Internet safety and uncommon common sense.
I think basic algebra is an essential thinking skill - it's all about how to answer a question by working from what you know toward what you want to know.
Basic algebra maybe.
But there is a lot of stuff that is not needed for most people to ever know. If someone is not predisposed for math and science why is it important to learn how to factor polynomials or to learn about sine, cosine and logarithms.
I'm not surprised that a teacher is proposing dropping the teaching of a subject thought to be "too hard" by students. After all, Shakespeare is no longer required reading in an increasing numer of universities, even for English literature majors. *Sigh*
In all fairness, I put my 4th semester algebra teacher through the wringer. 4th semester was difficult for me, she was a trooper though. If I knew where she was, I'd send her flowers.
I grew up when America was still great and went to school in a state recognized for its quality schools. Algebra was not required for graduation as it is now. I see no point in forcing kids to take classes they will have no use for. As for the notion that you never know, I did not take algebra (well, I did, but flunked), but went on to be a civil engineer graduating at the top of my university class and getting A's in all my math classes along the way.
This has nothing to do with the best and brightest. We're talking about kids who can't wrap their minds around basic algebra. Isn't society better off if they can still graduate high school?
No it is better to make them feel as if they are failures because they can't grasp it.
At least that is the way it seems.
Luckily for me math came very easy but things in the arts were impossible to learn. If society had prized my ability to draw or play an instrument as very important and not cared much about math I would have probably felt like a failure.
This is embarrassing. So now the education system should revolve around teachers' incompetence and students' laziness?
Algebra is not hard at all. Hell, I taught myself algebra from old textbooks in the library when I was 7 years old. If a 7 year old can do it, so can older students. It just requires a bit of motivation. Algebra wasn't even officially taught in my schools until grade 8, and even in gifted classes, grade 7. I was always bored in school, because we went at a snail's pace. Probably all to appease the one whiner in the class, even though everyone else was probably bored like I was.
This is unacceptable, and it's why the US fares so poorly in academic tests compared to students in other countries. Schools need to figure out how to teach it in a more captivating way students will understand. Don't just drop it altogether because teachers and students are whining.
And yes, I often do use algebra in my daily life. You'd be surprised at how often it comes in handy.
That's really it. If they want it they can learn it in six months at home and often, like you, they do. My kids did a lot on their own time. I do realize that parents don't like that though.
Of course, I had parents who made my life a living hell if I didn't get A's. lol No avoiding that one.
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Sadly. 
