In today’s progressive society, even answering a math problem correctly is racist. The California education department is weighing a statewide math framework that perpetuates the idea that working to solve a problem in math is an example of racism and white supremacy in schools. The framework, titled “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction: Dismantling Racism […]
In today’s progressive society, even answering a math problem correctly is racist.
The California education department is weighing a statewide math framework that perpetuates the idea that working to solve a problem in math is an example of racism and white supremacy in schools.
The framework, titled “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction: Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction” would provide “exercises for educators to reflect on their own biases to transform their instructional practice.”
The website states its training manual was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Breitbart reports.
“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms in everyday teacher actions,” the document 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 framework provides examples of how “white supremacy” takes over math classes.
Per Breitbart:
- The focus is on getting the “right answer
- Independent practice is valued over teamwork or collaboration
- “Real-world math” is valued over math in the real world
- Students are tracked (into courses/pathways and within the classroom)
- Participation structures reinforce dominant ways of being
The document identifies the ways teachers perpetuate white supremacy in their assessments.
- Students are required to “show their work”
- Grading practices are focused on lack of knowledge
- Language acquisition is equated with mathematical proficiency
“These common practices that perpetuate white supremacy culture create and sustain institutional and systemic barriers to equity for Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students. In order to dismantle these barriers, we must identify what it means to be an antiracist math educator,” the framework continues.
“In order to embody antiracist math education, teachers must engage in critical praxis that interrogates the way in which they perpetuate white supremacy culture in their own classrooms, and develop a plan toward antiracist math education to address issues of equity,” it adds.
If you thought critical race theory is the worst it could get, you clearly thought wrong.
