Dumbing Down Public-School Math in the Name of Social Justice Commentary In the interest of “math equity”—doing something about racial disparities in accelerated mathematics classes for gifted middle-school and high-school students—the state of California is considering simply doing away with public schools’ accelerated math track altogether. The current system, which allows youngsters with demonstrated math proficiency to start algebra in the 8th grade and take calculus as high-school seniors, would be dismantled. Instead, according to recommendations in the California Department of Education’s “mathematics framework” for 2021, all students, whether mathematically gifted or years behind their peers, would be placed on a “common pathway” taking courses geared to middling math aptitude. “[D]istricts and schools must confront the structural inequities of tracking and ability grouping,” the recommendations read.