Math is a skill, just like playing an instrument. Just like an instrument, if you don't practice regularly you lose the skill. People have no problem accepting

Math is a skill, just like playing an instrument. Just like an instrument, if you don't practice regularly you lose the skill. People have no problem accepting this when it comes to a musical instrument, but for some some reason our schools seem to teach people that math doesn't require ongoing practice. As for being presented as "the most important thing" - well for students it is one of the most important things at that time in their lives because it opens so many career paths. But once you are out of school and on a career path that doesn't require math (or requires just certain subset of math) it really isn't important anymore. This is just like music. If you hope of become a professional musician mastering your instrument and music theory is pretty much the most important thing it the world for you. But if you end up becoming a programmer and don't play for 20 years - you can't pick it up and play without a lot of practice and catch up - and nobody is surprised by that. We need to teach math a little more like we teach music.