September 10, 2010
The Hill is reporting that on Thursday math students and educators gained a new ally in the quest for better math education in America–Facebook. On Thursday, the popular social networking site sent a letter to Congressional leaders asking for more funding for math, science, and technology education, expressing concerns that if action isn’t taken, America will fall behind its competitors in these key areas.
Excerpts from the letter follow:
The shortage of students entering STEM careers has long been recognized in Washington, Silicon Valley, and beyond. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. high school seniors recently tested below the international average for 21 countries in math and science and fewer American students than ever are graduating from college with math and science degrees.
The situation is not much better at the higher educational levels. Surely, we can make America more competitive by training more American students to fill these demanding and high-value jobs.
Facebook is a young, fast-growing company whose mission is to make the world more open and connected. We understand that the United States must regain its economic and technological lead investing in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education — from the elementary to post-graduate level — and that this is vital to energizing the 21st century workforce.