'Anti-Racist' Message in Mass. Math Class

[bodypilot90 0]

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In some public schools math teachers do more than teach algebra and geometry — they give their students lessons intended to purge what they consider racism. The "anti-racist education" program in place at Newton Public Schools in Newton, Mass., a wealthy, liberal niche of the Bay State, has angered some parents who believe the school district is more concerned about political correctness than teaching math skills.

According to benchmarks for middle school education, the top objective for the district's math teachers is to teach "respect for human differences." The objective is for students to "live out the system-wide core value of 'respect for human differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors."

Priority No. 2 is where the basics come in, which is "problem solving and representation — students will build new mathematical knowledge as they use a variety of techniques to investigate and represent solutions to problems."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146684,00.html

In MATH class shouldn't the #1 priority be making sure John and Jane can add and subtract?

[freakbrother 0]

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In some public schools math teachers do more than teach algebra and geometry — they give their students lessons intended to purge what they consider racism. The "anti-racist education" program in place at Newton Public Schools in Newton, Mass., a wealthy, liberal niche of the Bay State, has angered some parents who believe the school district is more concerned about political correctness than teaching math skills.

According to benchmarks for middle school education, the top objective for the district's math teachers is to teach "respect for human differences." The objective is for students to "live out the system-wide core value of 'respect for human differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors."

Priority No. 2 is where the basics come in, which is "problem solving and representation — students will build new mathematical knowledge as they use a variety of techniques to investigate and represent solutions to problems."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146684,00.html

In MATH class shouldn't the #1 priority be making sure John and Jane can add and subtract?

Elected school boards make policy.

I learned how to take differences in math (products, sums and quotients too) and I respect the results.

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www.freak-brother.com

[bodypilot90 0]

I bet not many voters know about the policy.

PC has no place in the math class, learning math does.

[gravityizsexy 0]

Math is overrated...
so are children

"'Someday is not a day in my week'"

[ahegeman 0]

It has often been said that if you go far enough to either the right or the left you pretty much end up in the same place.

I see this as the left's counterpart to the strange insistence of many on the right to teach Creationism in schools. Either way you are shortchanging the kids' future to satisfy an interest group.

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There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry

[bodypilot90 0]

let's see you build a house, or fly a plane with out math. Kids are our future. To bad the left is still screwing up the schools

[skydyvr 0]

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I see this as the left's counterpart to the strange insistence of many on the right to teach Creationism in schools. Either way you are shortchanging the kids' future to satisfy an interest group.

Where did you see anyone pushing to teach Creationism in a math class? Gotta link?

. . =(_8^(1)

[ahegeman 0]

I didn't say "in math class".

---------------------------------------------------------------
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry

[skydyvr 0]

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I didn't say "in math class".

Oh, then it seems your comparison missed the main point of the thread.

. . =(_8^(1)

[Kennedy 0]

The line between science and "social studies" (or whatever they call it now) has always had a few fuzzy edges.

Math, however, should not be stressing PC-ism over Math.

witty subliminal message
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[ahegeman 0]

Please explain to me why teaching politically correct math is any different than Creationism in a biology class?

---------------------------------------------------------------
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry

[skydyvr 0]

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Please explain to me why teaching politically correct math is any different than Creationism in a biology class?

The whackedness of the term "politically correct math" says it all. Really, there just isn't any practical relationship between math and politics. The relationship has been created from thin air in order to further an agenda. Why not just start a new class, PC-101, and make it mandatory?

Although I'm personally against the excessive purveyance of either Creationism or Evolution in a biology class, there is at least *some* connection there.

. . =(_8^(1)

[jakee 1,489]

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Although I'm personally against the excessive purveyance of either Creationism or Evolution in a biology class, there is at least *some* connection there.

Hehehe. 'Some' connection between evolution and biology.

Welcome to America folks, enjoy the show.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Kennedy 0]

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Please explain to me why teaching politically correct math is any different than Creationism in a biology class?

Creationsim is at least related to science and biology (no matter how whacked out you think it is, that is the umbrella it would fall under).

However, I fail to see any relationship whatsoever between civics/social engineering and learning algebra.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
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[Lindsey 0]

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Please explain to me why teaching politically correct math is any different than Creationism in a biology class?

I cannot even begin to fathom what "politically correct math" could possibly be. I agree that since many, many parents do not take the time to teach their children how to get along with others in the world, the schools have inherited a big part of that job. Teaching children to appreciate people of diverse backgrounds is a good thing. But in math class, the teaching of math should be the priority.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[Nightingale 0]

Actually, creationism is probably most appropriate in a sociology, world religions, history, or cultural anthropology class. It is not a scientific theory, it is a religious one, and there is no scientific evidence backing it up. Would you also say that teaching that Pan Gu created the earth and heavens by breaking a cosmic egg would be appropriate in science class?

[Kennedy 0]

Actually, we had great fun on just that topic in my forensics (criminalistics, not debate) class in highschool. We took some of the "scientific" tenets of various religions and had to make the case for or against based solely on the available evidence.

It wasn't the best exercise for the class since more of the "evidence" was texts, rather than lombard-type evidence, but it was great for learning/practicing the proper mindset. All the sciences, pulling bits and pieces together, accoutning for conflicting samples, and so on. That was a fun week.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
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[tmontana 0]

Stop getting your news from fox

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The benchmarks, which could not be found on the district's Web site, were faxed to FOXNews.com by Tom Mountain, a columnist for The Newton Tab

So fox is either saying they couldn't find the state benchmarks online (which means they don't know how to use google because here they are ) or they couldn't find the exact benchmark (which if they tried they wouldn't have because it doesn't exist). If you click on the links in the curriculme framework you will not find any benchmark such as the one fox quoted. What fox is quoting as a benchmark is in fact the districts Mission statement, and anyone who knows anything about any school districts mission statement knows they are general statements about making children better people, citizens, members of society etc. Mission statements are NOT benchmarks, benchmarks are statements based on what kids need to learn to pass the state/local standardized tests, they are a guide for what teachers need to cover. Mission statements are given to set the general mood for a district or school. For instance, a school i worked at had a mission statement of "be a peacemaker", that doesn't mean that in science and math class kids were taught "peacemaker" science or "peacemaker" math. They were taught science and math. However the entire mood of the school was set with the idea in mind that you should "be a peacemaker".

___________________________________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

[tmontana 0]

and in case you're wondering newton did well on the state standarized tests http://www.shrewsbury-ma.com/TopSchools.htm
Their two high schools ranked 28th & 40th in the state out of 164 schools.
They had 2 of their elementary schools in the top 5 out of 213.
And their middle schools ranked between 20th and 29th in the state out of 153

___________________________________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

[bodypilot90 0]

"history of teaching math"



Teaching Math In 1950
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?



Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?



Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?



Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment:
Underline the number 20.



Teaching Math In 1990
By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees. (There are no wrong answers.)



Teaching Math In 2005
El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es.............

[Kennedy 0]

Now that's some funny shit!



Uh, Können Sie mir die Zahlen in einer Sprache geben, die ich spreche?

Danke.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
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[winsor 236]

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I didn't say "in math class".

Oh, then it seems your comparison missed the main point of the thread.

How so? I think he hit the nail on the head.