For youth, math is the great equalizer

RICH BARLOW'S column of July 28 ("Group sees glimpses of divinity in math," City & Region, Page B2) develops an intriguing theme. For the believer, the study of math is an unfolding of the structure of reality established by the Creator.

But there is another related value-dimension associated with the study of math. Working to expand the access to advanced math for all young people is a key social value. Research reveals that the single most important factor in college acceptance and college success is the extent to which the student pursued advanced math in high school. That means precollege mathematics achievement shapes the life chances of young people, and so the study of mathematics represents a central social as well as intellectual value. This is especially important for schools that have lacked resources -- often containing low-income, urban, and minority students -- and it is the reason civil rights pioneer and educator Bob Moses has correctly portrayed mathematics access as a new civil rights frontier.

ROBERT CASE
Boston

The writer is a professor of mathematics education at Northeastern University.