I support the Math Insurgency

i have just found out via a link at Let's Play Math about the math insurgency that seems to be brewing in Washington state. It is led by a group called Where's the Math whose mission is

To ensure that all Washington State students have an equal opportunity to compete successfully in the international economy by aligning Washington State math standards, assessments and curricula to those of top performing nations in the world.

They are concerned that mathematics achievement in America is far below what it should be and seriously lagging most other industrialized countries in the world. One of their members, Hugh Taylor of Washington state laments that U.S. math education in general is "uniquely unsuccessful."

While sympathizing with these concerns, it is worth noting the global dimensions of the problem: For students in many 'developing countries,' poor or mediocre math education--and thus achievement--is the norm. That is why i hope the math insurgency succeeds in the US, and spreads to the developing world.