In 1954, a book titled, "How to Lie with Statistics" hit the shelves. As the name
might suggest, it was a tongue-in-cheek account of how journalists and academics
often twist or misuse statistics. Over a half-century later, we can still find
these same statistical manipulation tactics prevalent throughout society.
But it's one thing to 'read' about how people manipulate statistics — it's another thing to
actually understand statistical analysis. Unfortunately most Americans today have
not had the appropriate education necessary to achieve this level of critical thinking.
Today, there is little attention given toward enabling Americans to better assess data and draw
accurate conclusions. And as recent events have shown us, national security desperately needs such
an education. Unfortunately, rather than prepare students to evaluate and understand statistics,
America's high school math curriculums remain rooted in a past crisis.
Voice of Ed Herlihy: "Today a new moon is in the sky. A 23-inch metal sphere placed in orbit by a Russian rocket."
On October 4th 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik — the world's first artificial satellite.
That shocked Americans who always believed the free world had the technological edge.
To regain primacy in the Cold War, American leaders politicians and educators decided to
push calculus as the pinnacle to high school math curriculum and statistics fell by the wayside.
The 1958 National Defense Act even included money for programs to elevate calculus in schools.
Calculus instruction took off.
In 1955, 285 calculus students took the advanced placement test. Less than 20 years later that
number surpassed 14,000. Today about 800,000 American high school students take calculus.
But as the National Council of Teachers and Mathematics wrote in April 1980:
"It is dangerous to assume that skills from one era will suffice for another."
As the world becomes more data-driven, mastery of statistics is generally more important than
calculus. In 1924 Godfrey Thompson, one of the most prominent education scholars of his day,
argued that an understanding of statistical interpretation is more and more needed in everyday
life. In newspaper reading, in comprehending the appeals of this or that political party.
Simply put, statistical aptitude is essential for studying the world around us.
But despite several false starts to help statistics regain its status in the high
school curriculum, it wasn't until 1997 when the college board held the first
advanced placement statistics exam. At the local level though inertia rules the day.
Calculus remains the apex course for students competing for top schools.
The arguments for both national security and academics point to the same conclusion:
It is time to privilege statistics over calculus. Almost every career incorporates statistics
to some degree with statistical analysis being one of the most valued skills among all fields.
And to prevent math curriculums from becoming diluted or cutting corners, it may be appropriate
to solely focus on statistics in high school and then defer calculus to college when its
consumers would be better prepared to handle it. And when its application would be far more useful.
As Americans debate everything from the response to the coronavirus, climate to defense spending,
and election turnout the country appears to be pulling apart at the seams.
There's too much at stake these days to simply continue math class as usual.
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