The responsibility for teaching and the responsibility for learning aren't the same thing. I could damn well teach college algebra, but it was beyond my powers to make students study.
The problem with math is you have to make it relevant. Too many kids cannot see the relevancy of math. I know I didn't. I took some algebra in high school and I tried again in college. I decided that the teachers could find their own GD x because I wasn't doing it any more. Now, if you wanted to teach me about keeping a check book, managing money, investing in the market, knowing what the rule of 72 means or doing your income tax. I can do that.
I got better at math when I started taking some CAD classes and some tool and die classes. That is relevant. But, no one teaches life skills and no one teaches machine shop skills in high school any more. The crap they tried shoving off in high school math was absolutely stupid except for the kids headed for college. But, to hell with the kids who just want to move on with life.
kwg
