Dear National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Officials,
Fifty years ago this year, the U.S. was reeling from the shock of a technological coup from the Soviet Union, which launched the world's first artificial earth satellite, Sputnik, on October 4, 1957. Back then, an inspired U.S. responded by creating NASA and the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects that landed us on the moon first in 1969. This morning, our country once again faces challenges,and from not just one, but two competitors, China and Japan. Both countries claim spacecraft currently orbiting the moon. See http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/5274045.html .
But,where is the United States on this? Can we again meet the challenge? Do we still have what it takes to compete scientifically, as we did a half-century ago?
But, our country does not use the same system of measurement as China and Japan. We avoid the metric system along with only two other nations, Myanmar (Burma) and Liberia, which are not known for their scientific influence. Perhaps it is not the lack of the metric system alone that is keeping us down, but our clinging to imperial units of measure is symptomatic of the scientific malaise that threatens to kayo us from the world stage of research. Once more, I urge NCTM to consider teaching the metric system exclusively in U.S. schools. That the metric system currently competes with the units on street signs is a point we can no longer afford to use as an excuse. Our students are being robbed of a necessary part of their science "language." The world is going to pass us by, just as we once bypassed the world with our scientific talent.
SI-ncerely, -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association (USMA), Inc. www.metric.org 3609 Caldera Blvd., Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 USA +1(432)528-7724
