Left hand and Right hand

In a classic case of "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing", consider the following.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/02/15/science.
math.ap/index.html says that "Parents dont see crisis over science and math". According to the article, 57% of parents think the amount of math and science at their child's public school is just fine. 70% of parents of high schoolers are satisfied. Only 50% of kids in grades 6-12 think that science and math are "essential" for them to succeed after high school.

The parents say that they don't really understand what the fuss is about. I'll break it down for you:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/01/20/literacy.
college.students.ap/index.html says College students lack literacy for complex tasks. If college students lack these skills, you want to tell me that 6th graders have them? What are these complex tasks, you ask? Are they arcane, obscure differential equations and calculus? Hardly. The "complex" tasks are: checkbooks and restaurant tips. PLEASE.

They cannot interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure. ... [They cannot] compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school.

THOSE are complex tasks??? If those are complex tasks and college students aren't able to do them, then I say "Yes, parents, your children are NOT getting enough math and science!"