[LeanderK]

I wholeheartedly agree. Exceptions to the rule always exist and I don't want it to be impossible, but they should be entirely optional and non-standard. You are going to re-learn it anyway (and learn it better, from first principles instead of patched together).

It's also an arms race that's misplaced. STEM majors are learning math anyway, there really are diminishing returns in cramming more of it into your school curriculum. A lot of different subjects are way more useful, ideally some that do exactly not prepare yourself for a major of your choice, otherwise you end up with over-optimised education. You need some social studies and discuss current topics moving america and the world. You need to write essays about these difficult topics. You need a little bit of science and a little bit of history. And a foreign language. It's about the abstract ideals of education, afterwards you can choose the major you want.