Washington Engineers speak out against Reform Math

My husband is a civil engineer so I found this statement interesting. I want our children to have the skills needed to pursue a career in engineering or any other field that they choose.
Excepts:
"The West Puget Sound Chapter of the Washington Society of Professional Engineers strongly concurs with Ms. Joyce Fiess' Nov. 6 letter concerning the mathematics education in the state of Washington.
Too many graduating seniors are unprepared to go into engineering schools or even a trade school without remedial classes, classwork that should have been accomplished in the K-12 curriculum. Washington does not produce enough engineers in state to fill the needs of Washington industry. ................... "

"The basic culprit is the education philosophy called constructivist curriculum — the new 3Rs, Relating, Representing, and Reasoning. Constructivism is heavy on teaching concepts and light on teaching facts.. Constructivism emphasizes group work rather than individual effort by the student.
For 35 years, we have been subjected to a failed experiment, "new math." Mathematics depends on individual problem-solving ability to arrive at the correct answer. Math does not lend itself to "fuzzy" answers. The solution is to recognize the failure of the Constructivist Curriculum as it relates to mathematics and science, eliminate it and return to the hard core basics using texts like the Singapore Math.
Raise math education standards and expectations of our students.
Computers and calculators are wonderful tools, but they are mindless. How can you teach use of calculators before the student understands the basics and knows what the reasonable answer should be? Calculators should not be in the classroom until the basics are completely mastered by the student. Failure to correct the problem now will lead to a much higher future price due to the continued erosion of its competitive edge with other countries.
Finally, empower school boards and teachers to interject personal discipline into the classroom. It is time to stop lowering the average to be more inclusive. "
F. Duane Duff, PE
Past President
Lyle Hansen, PE
Past President
John S. Lansberry, PE
Secretary/Treasurer
West Puget Sound Chapter of the Washington Society of Professional Engineers

To read the whole statement go to:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2007/nov/27/my-turn-improvements-needed-in-math-education/