Don't Worry About the Vase Podcast Childhood and Education #18: Do The Math
May 12, 2026
Quoted readings from Kelsey Piper and others highlight widespread problems in education research and math instruction. Short passages expose grade inflation, remedial math crises at major universities, and the consequences of test-free admissions. The conversation also covers how teaching methods and missing fundamentals fuel math anxiety and examines accelerated paths that reach calculus early.
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Railside Study Hid Problems And Misleading Comparisons
- Joe Bowler's Railside study allegedly hid the school's name and compared top Railside quartiles to middle quartiles elsewhere.
- Outside researchers found Railside underperformed on almost every test and the highlighted test measured students not exposed to the curriculum.
Grade Inflation Breaks The Feedback Loop
- Grade inflation and falsified signals let students pass subjects they haven't mastered and remove accountability.
- Evidence links inflated grades to worse long-term outcomes and permits large cohorts to reach college lacking basic skills.
UCSD Remedial Students Failed Basic Algebra Despite Strong Transcripts
- UCSD remedial Math 2 found many students failed basic arithmetic and middle-school algebra despite transcripts showing advanced math and high GPAs.
- Report: 75% solved 7+2=?+6, 42% had reported calculus or precalc, and many had 4.0 math GPAs.