I've tutored high school math for seven years, and I've noticed that most students who struggle with algebra aren't bad at math—they're bad at fractions. Once they master fraction operations, everything else clicks into place. But here's the paradox: while algebra is seen as the gatekeeper to higher math, I'd argue that fraction fluency matters more for real-world problem solving, from cooking recipes to budgeting. So, should schools prioritize fractions over algebra?