Thank you Craig Goldman.

How can we compete with the world in mathematics and science if we worry ourselves into slowing down our already snail's pace of learning in mathematics by a full year more?

I believe that we should offer children the opportunity and encourage them to progress as quickly and as far as they are able, and not reduce such opportunity because some children might be asked to learn more than they want.

To the degree that Ruiz' concerns might be justified, they raise a separate issue. The question of how to bring unprepared children up to level and how to ensure that fewer children in the future are not fully prepared for top level math should not be used to slow the overall progress of everyone.

Children, like society, respond to expectations. I believe that lowering everyone's expectations would not benefit our city. I fully support any moves to increase our children's opportunities to progress in their level of mathematics.