Readers all over the place on the virtues/defects of the Saxon series of math textbooks for kids. Here’s a pro-Saxon email:

“Hi Derb. I am currently working my way to the poor house by paying for a private school for my six year old daughter. They use Saxon at this institution and I can attest to the fact that it is big on repetition, memory, and rote drills. As a first grader she routinely had 30 minutes a
night of math homework. You know how most schools have trophy cases
displaying their accomplishments in various sports? Well, this school has two large cases in the front hall that are overflowing (literally, some trophies have been placed on the top of the cases) with trophies from math competitions. Must work.”

Au contraire, says Cal Lanier:

“I LOATHE Saxon books, and I think the Saxon program in schools is a complete disaster. The usual math order: Algebra, Geometry, Advanced Algebra (aka Algebra II), Trig, Calculus is much more sensible, with Stats as an additional math class any time after advanced algebra.”

We report, you decide.