Does Hercules want to succeed in math?

Some of us are preparing to launch a volunteer math effort for purpose of helping Hercules children succeed in math.  I have been focusing on this issue ever since a child reported that they sought help from their middle school math teacher who replied they were too busy to help because they had sports coaching responsibilities.  This rubbed me the wrong way big-time.  

This at a time when recent Hercules math test scores for many are way too low.  This at a time when Hercules Middle High School still does not have after-school tutoring in place.  This at a time when math classes are so large that teachers have even less time to help their students.  This at a time when classes are so large, teachers have even less time to give homework assignments meaningful attention.  This at a time when the number of work visas for science and math jobs has been increased because fewer and fewer Americans are qualified to do the work because they can't do the math.  

So some parents and I are now ready to start an immediate volunteer effort to help our kids with math, beginning next week.  We can put in place math study halls, math bootcamps, and a math club.  My own 81 year old dad also wants to help.  He learned math well growing up in a Chicago public school in a poorer neighborhood.  

Then  a horrific thought occurred to me.  What if Hercules doesn't care?  What if Hercules is soft on education, including math?  What if Hercules parents and children value sports more than they value math?  The sports programs are proceeding full speed ahead!  Athletes leave class early to get ready for the big game.  Yet tutoring is not in place.  Visiting students from Italy commented that the WCCUSD offers many fun things for our kids, that in Italy, they simply focus on getting a diploma.  Is that what school is about, just having fun?

So I must ask Hercules, are you up for the math challenge?  Do you want to make this happen?  Do you want your kids to be math proficient?  As I said, some parents do, but we need a HERCULEAN effort to really make this happen!