The UW's weather guru Cliff Mass is part of a threesome that have appealed to the King County Superior Court to block the Seattle Public Schools' adoption of an inquiry-based math textbook series: Discovering Algebra, Discovering Geometry, and Discovering Advanced Algebra. In a press release, they argue that inquiry-based math instruction has resulted in a growing "achievement gap in mathematics among ethnic minority and free-lunch students in 4th, 7th, and 10th grades." The argument is also playing out in the op-ed pages of the Seattle Times, where a math teacher at Roosevelt responded to Mass's vocal criticism, oddly without including a single math-achievement benchmark that might sway us in favor of the series. more ›

For those in search of information on so many people think that then Key Curriculum math books recently adopted by the Seattle School District are so bad, Where's the Math?, a local group promoting better math education in our schools, has info on a review of the books by UW math prof John Lee (PDF of the full review here). Prof. Lee explains upfront that "a course that does not imbue students with the spirit, techniques, and practice of deductive reasoning is not a mathematics course worthy of the name." He goes on to explain exactly how well he thinks these books do that, well worth the read for people interested. more ›

• The heated high school math textbook debate continues. Pretty soon side a., side b. and side c. are all going to resort to throwing TI-86 calculators, protractors, and compasses at each other. (ducking)
• Aaaaaaand we called it. Washington will raise the markup on liquor starting August 1. We will take that horrible news and commence drinking with what's left in our wallets for World Cocktail Week.
• Fed-up with the lame responses to recent car break-ins, Wallyhood marches down to the local Seattle Police Department North Precinct to chat it up with the police captain.

Parents of high-school students--who would prefer torture over opening an advanced algebra book again--will be holding their breath for the next month as Seattle's School Board has delayed the heated vote on new high-school math textbooks. Who knew math teachers could stir up such a debate? The stalled vote is hung up (in obtuse angles?) over the textbooks, Discovering Geometry and Discovering Advanced Algebra while a tense discussion grows around the parents' (and others) ability to help the students with their homework. Parents, start studying, the next vote is May 6. more ›