You don't "need" most of the classes beyond maybe reading... We don't use art class, or geography, or history, or really most of any classes in day to day life.

You don't "need" most of the classes beyond maybe reading... We don't use art class, or geography, or history, or really most of any classes in day to day life. We teach maths because we believe it is useful for most people to learn math, to provide them with opportunity later, and because we don't specialise earlier. You mention foisting basic mathematical education onto future courses, which would either have to be much longer or much less deep. Some people mistakenly think that mathematics education exists so that when high school graduates go to university in STEM subjects they can get right to the meat and potatoes. This just isnt the case, as it is most of a STEM batchelors degree is just... learning more maths. Calculus, Statistics, Linear Algebra, Dynamics. Like, these lectures are taught in bulk at most universities, with several dozens of courses enrolled in the same lecture series because its so widely applicable. But in general, much like english(writing/literature/media) class, or history, or science, the real reason we teach maths is because a whole lot of careers we think are important benefit from it. Sure you don't need it to work in a resturant, but you will to work in music, computers, science in all forms, statistics, accounting, management, 3d animation and cgi, and a lot lot lot more. And in any occupation, having a mathematics understanding will help career and ability to make informed decisions.