Before going on, you should know–although my son graduated cum laude with a degree in advanced math, I hate it!
In High School, my Algebra grade was in the high 90s, but geometry followed, and I barely passed. Then in my junior year, I was forced to take trigonometry. The only reason I didn’t get a failing grade in trigonometry was some enterprising boys at a private school stole the answers to the trigonometry regent’s exam (the NY State-wide test). Therefore the test was canceled. They only got caught because the thieves sold the answers, and one of the mothers of a kid who didn’t get the answers complained to the principal. Those boys will have a special place in my heart till my dying day. I still have nightmares about “soh cah toa” (sine, cosine, and tangent), but I still think it’s about what to do when you break a toe.
But math wasn’t a racist class. It made most of the students in the class sick to their stomachs, regardless of race or ethnic background. And they still are sick when a discussion includes any numbers. Hence the non-racial statement, “You said there would be no math!”
Leftist loons at the Oregon Department of Education believe math is “racist” because it demands “right answers.” If that was implemented, every game show on TV would be shut down by liberal TV executives.l Personally, I wouldn’t know what to watch at midnight if they labeled “Family Feud” as racist and canceled the program
Oregon’s DOE’s recent newsletter promoted an online course intended to “dismantle” instances of “”white supremacy culture in the mathematics classroom.” As an example, the course claims that “the concept of mathematics being purely objective.” This, they say, is “unequivocally false.” As a Jew \who almost failed math, shouldn’t be classified as anti-semitic?
Because math, they feel, is fungible. They say math is racist if two plus two is four. But their math is not racist because there are no accurate answers, apparently.
Per Campus Reform:
The program, known as “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,” describes itself as “an integrated approach to mathematics that centers Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students” that provides “opportunities for ongoing self-reflection as they seek to develop an anti-racist math practice.” [Not fair what about something like-Moshe had 8 candles, Sara had 27. How many days of Hanukka will those candles cover?]
The “feedback advisors” for a portion of the program include William Zahner, who is an associate professor at San Diego State University; Melissa Navarro Martell, who is an assistant professor at San Diego State University, and Elvira Armas, who is the Director of Programs and Partnerships for the Center for Equity for English Learners at Loyola Marymount University in California.
“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms in everyday teacher actions,” the guide states. “Coupled with the beliefs that underlie these actions, they perpetuate educational harm on Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, denying them full access to the world of mathematics.”
The newsletter pitched the program to educators “looking for a deeper dive into equity work,” offering to teach “key tools for engagement, develop strategies to improve equitable outcomes for Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, and join communities of practice.”
The Oregon Department of Communications Director of Communications, Marc Siegel, told Campus Reform that math instruction should be built on an “equitable foundation.”
“Building math instruction on an equitable foundation can better ensure all our students have a pathway to success in math,” Siegel said.
Examples of “white supremacy culture” cited by the document include a focus on “getting the ‘right’ answer” and requiring students to show their work.
Along with China, Russia, and other external enemies, liberals are by far the most immediate threat to America, and they leave out one group. I wonder if RFK Jr. helped to develop the university’s answers.
Cross-Posted with Lidblog and iPatriot
