I see on the front page of today's print R-G that 60-80% of new community college students nationwide need to take remedial math because they failed 9th grade algebra.  And then they don't pass it.  There is a coinciding argument as to whether algebra is necessary for every high school or community college student. 

 I have previously posted that algebra was worthless to me over my entire life, so I will argue that those who also find it not only useless for their career path but so difficult that they can't pass it should have an alternative.