California's proposed woke math curriculum alarms mathematicians, scientists | Fox News
Category: News & Politics
Via: drakkonis • 3 years ago • 38 commentsBy: Jessica Chasmar (Fox News)
It is either the height of stupidity or a Machiavellian ruthlessness that is shocking to comprehend.
Let's start with stupidity. Apparently, the goal is an attempt at equality of outcome. It isn't fair, some claim, that kids who have a talent for things like advanced math have that talent while others don't. Why should some kids qualify for an opportunity that other kids don't have? We should eliminate advanced courses so the less talented don't feel bad about themselves. After all, education isn't the goal of today's school system. It's feeling good about yourself. It's about being "validated," whatever that's supposed to do. I guess make okay whatever you think or do, even if it is wrong. It's as if the Board of Education watched the movie "Idiocracy" and thought it was something they should shoot for.
But maybe it isn't stupidity. Maybe it's a ruthless Machiavellian plot after all. If talented but poor kids in public education don't have access to advanced courses they will be behind, and thus have less opportunity, than the rich kids whose parents can afford private schools or private advanced courses. In other words, the rich Democrats are tilting the scales in favor of their own children.
Hundreds of highly distinguished science and math professors have signed an open letter expressing "urgent concern" over California's efforts to reform mathematics education in the name of social justice.
The letter, signed by 597 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals, said the California Department of Education's (CDE) proposed new mathematics framework will aim to reduce achievement gaps by limiting the availability of advanced mathematical courses to middle schoolers and beginning high schoolers, making it more challenging for students to succeed in STEM at college.
The signatories also condemned the CDE's "deeply worrisome trend" of favoring "trendy but shallow" courses like data science over "essential" mathematical tools like calculus and algebra.
The framework, the signatories argued, would have the opposite effect of what it intends by leading to a "de facto privatization of advanced mathematics K-12 education" and disproportionately harming lower-income students.
"Subjecting the children of our largest state to such an experiment is the height of irresponsibility," the letter said.
The signatories demanded that all students, regardless of background, have access to a math curriculum "with precision and rigor," and that students be offered multiple pathways to explore mathematics at varying grade levels of middle and high school.
"Far from being deliberately held back, all students should have the opportunity to be nurtured and challenged to fulfill their potential," the letter said. "This is not only for their own benefit but also for society and the nation's economic competitiveness."
The open letter echoes similar concerns in an open letter over the summer, signed by more than 1,100 Californians working in science and technology, who argued it is "immoral and foolish to intentionally hold back the intellectual growth of students by forcing them to waste time in unchallenging classes."
The backlash forced the California Board of Education to postpone implementing the framework until May 2022, when it will review the curriculum again before it's finalized.
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Sometimes I think we're just plain doomed.
A process question: Who is the guy in the photo for this article? That man is NOT in the article, is he? Were there no pictures in the article to put up?
There are 'rules of the road' on this site (NT) surely you want us to obey them, eh? This is a rhetorical question. And it is all I have for you today. Good-bye!
california state superintendent of public instruction
So this story is not 'fully' developed at all. Watch this space.
As to this story's implications, I hope no one is 'held back' because higher math truly is not for everybody in my opinion. I will agree more students can be put its 'rigors' in order to raise the number of impacted students overall, nevertheless.
Immaterial,
the use of that picture is a violation of copyright rules and thus an NT violation,
resulting in a locked condition.
Some similar articles. Is there anything the "woke" doesn't want to fuck up?
OMG! One of the links led me to the following
Mathematics Framework - Mathematics (CA Dept of Education)
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Wow. What is it with some conservatives? Just criticize and never 'ingest'? Just abusing terms (because you can)? Well, this is a sickness and I, for one, intend to give medicine to the sickly on NT. First, stop abusing terms like: social justice, identity politics, and wokism simply because it breaks some conservative "hearts" to be inclusive of those who share the land, culture, and society around us together.
How much do you want to wager a math professor didn't write that?
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Interesting. "Urban" is a bad word in your 'America" - why? I don't see much negative commentary about rural America coming out of the cities, though.
What 'holy shit!' do you mean?
Very interesting (Yahoo) article! Overall, I don't know what to say about this. Very interesting, nonetheless. I do not see a need to hold anybody back, but I do think time and space should be allowed to get some others in and up to speed. (It could take a new outlook to be instituted.) Wise minds needed.
So now, studying and being smart is bad for kids in California?
Obviously. It will lead to them moving away.
“has much to correct (because) the subject and community of mathematics has a history of exclusion and filtering, rather than inclusion and welcoming.”
Math is what it is. People either understand it or they don't
Yes. Absolutely.
No. They can be taught. But you have to actually teach them instead of make excuses for them. I'm a former math teacher, BTW.
In my experience most kids can learn anything but if they're not pushed by teachers and parents to work hard many will never reach their potential. Asian students don't excel because they're brilliant they excel because their parents push them, even if they're not that smart they'll do better than someone of equal intelligence because of hard work. If parents are happy with C's then that's all most kids will deliver.
"Woke Math?" So the right wing's response would be, "Asleep Math?"
In the meantime ... do keep up folks.
California backtracks on woke math curriculum overhaul after stern opposition
I will have to try and find this story from an unbiased, propaganda source. I am not versed enough on it to know if FOX NEWS is telling the story straight or putting its USUAL slant on to it. I will look for a different source and come back.
You could take a look at post #2. Greg provides two links. One being from Calmatters; which is supposed to be nonpartisan.
I am open to look into that link as well. Will let you know when I do and what I find/determine. (Smile.)