Schools must offer advanced science, math

Recently, two of my doctors took legal action against their separate wealthy suburban high school districts, each going to the U.S. Supreme Court to force these districts to admit their above-average capable children to their high school mathematical physics courses. These doctors knew that without the skills learned in every high school mathematically based physics course, and also in every mathematically based high school chemistry course with laboratory experiences, their intelligent children may easily have a limited financial and professional future in a STEM and medical-type job.

To be able to succeed in a STEM or medical-type career program in higher education, a student must know at least physics and chemistry problem solving skills as well as using scientific notation skills and other skills learned in the high school mathematical physics course. Any STEM or medical course in higher education often requires mathematical skills that build upon the problem solving and scientific notation knowledge gained in high school mathematically based physics and chemistry and also in third- and fourth-year advanced high school mathematics.

Often, lower income parents and even parents of middle class children from the wealthier suburban high school districts as well as those of minority origin in both the city and suburbs do not have that essential knowledge to ensure that their children have good economic prospects by succeeding in STEM or medical career programs in college or university.

They often are financially limited in possible legal action against their high schools if their children are not given quality high school physics and chemistry. All high schools must try to offer STEM and medical career foundations to as many students as possible.

Stewart Brekke

Downers Grove