The Return of "Fuzzy" Math to CA

By now, I would imagine most of you have seen the classic YouTube video on the problems with the Everyday Mathematics textbook series. If you haven't, click here. While there has been a lot of media attention paid to the state of Texas' recent rejection of Everyday Math, there has been virtually none surrounding the California School Board's decision on November 30th to include it on the approved textbook list. I personally had no idea this had happened until I happened to see a brief mention of it in an article on Everyday Math in the Alburquerque [NM] Journal.

The textbook watchdog organization Educational Research Analysts recently reviewed eight 3rd grade mathematics textbooks including Everyday Math and also Saxon Math, a program that's popular with many homeschooling families. As you can see on this chart, Everyday Math was rated the worst overall. Some of the comments (emphasis in the original):

"Instead of teaching addition with regrouping, Everyday Math's 'focus algorithm' for addition is 'partial sums', a cumbersome, time-consuming, less efficient, more laborious, non-standard method....

Cumbersome, time-consuming, less efficient, more laborious, unduly complicated 'extended facts', 'partial products', and 'lattice' methods replace the standard simple multiplication algorithm....

Admits that a 'formal introduction to division algorithms is not included'....

Every lesson calls for small group and partner activities...

Heavy calculator dependence....

With the most calculator-dependence, peer-dependence, and the fewest practice problems of all eight 3rd grade math editions submitted by major publishers for 2008 Texas adoption, Everyday Math RETARDS SKILL BUILDING."

This is what California's Board of Ed. has decided is acceptable for use in the state's schools? This is what their report had to say about Everyday Mathematics:

"The program provides clear, grade-appropriate explanations for mathematics concepts, and clear instructions for efficient use of manipulatives to promote student learning."

Is the textbook committee looking at the same program that is the one on the YouTube video? The same one that earned such negative reviews by the folks over at ERA? The same one that parents all over the country are up in arms about? The same one rejected by the state in 2001 after significant public outrage over its deficiencies?

So why is it back in California's government-run schools? Chalk one up to the power of the educrats, who are absolutely convinced of the merits of "constructivism" regardless of what parents and the general public want.

Every time I turn around, it seems like I read about a new reason to avoid California's government-run schools. If they're not passing laws to force schools to promote alternative lifestyles to children as young as 2, they're bringing back "fuzzy" math.