I am sorry to read that Anzar High School students may be offered a way to avoid a “more math-intensive science course” by skipping chemistry. One has to wonder how students who are also completing the A-G Mathematics requirement can possibly be floundering in the elementary mathematics/arithmetic contained in a high school chemistry course. The opportunity provided in a chemistry course to solidify basic skills such as handling fractions should not be avoided by students who will be seeking employment in a 21st century which increasingly values numerical facility. One can also ask how post-secondary admissions personnel will view “integrated science courses” sold to students as a way to avoid mathematics. Students should stick with chemistry and deal with any course problems by seeking the free tutoring available to them in the local area.
Steve Filseth, Hollister