I don't know about schools in the United States but certainly in Britain
anyone trying to rewrite the mathematics curriculum by excluding 'fractions'
would be met with a frosty reception from teachers.
I would caution anyone campaigning for metrication not to try and tell
educators, especially those who deal with the younger age groups, their job
and how to do it.
No one so far has undicated that they have any experience in that
profession. I'm not a teacher myself but I have tried my hand at it and did
learn something about the issues. I can tell you that merely knowing the
subject (or even being good at it) is a tiny part of what it takes to
actually teach it.
Phil Hall
