Florida rejects 41% of new math textbooks, citing critical race theory among its reasons

[JimBob1952]

The Snopes monkey trial, as it was known, concerned a teacher in a government school teaching his students about Darwin's theory of the Origin of Species. It was science, not religion. Doesn't the Constitutional separation of church and state prohibit religious teaching in public schools? It isn't intended to censor legitimate science education.

Any way, the teacher lost the case.

I am assuming that today references to evolution, the estimated age of the Earth and Continental Drift might still cause science text books to be rejected in some states ???

Am I right?

BTW That's Scopes, not Snopes. In some states (not just southern states but also Indiana and elsewhere) the Christian fundamentalists have sought the inclusion of a theory called "intelligent design" in science textbooks, as an alternative to what we would all call accepted science. I am not aware of any successes they have had, but evangelical Christianity is very strong here. That movement made a lot of noise about ten years ago but it's been quiet for a while.

It's always fun living in the US. We are never short of controversy!

 

[Warrigal]

Of course it is Scopes, @JimBob1952.
I've been fighting against Snopes in every post but that one slipped past my inner editor.
To late to edit now.

 

[JimBob1952]

Of course it is Scopes, @JimBob1952.
I've been fighting against Snopes in every post but that one slipped past my inner editor.
To late to edit now.

Snopes is a natural mistake in the US as it is a well-known "fact-checking" site, albeit one with bias and accuracy problems of its own.

 

[Vida May]

I must be way out of touch, but what could or should a math book say about race???

It would be interesting to see examples of offending language or equations, or whatever...

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/17/us/florida-math-textbooks-critical-race-theory/index.html

I think, increasing awareness of why math education and racism are a problem, is a good thing. It is the same as the past math and sexism, that led us to believe girls did not do well in advanced math and the careers dependent on knowing math.

Critical Race Theory in Mathematics Education brings together scholarship that uses critical race theory (CRT) to provide a comprehensive understanding of race, racism, social justice, and experiential knowledge of African Americans’ mathematics education. CRT has gained traction within the educational research sphere, and this book extends and applies this framework to chronicle the paths of mathematics educators who advance and use CRT. This edited collection brings together scholarship that addresses the racial challenges thrusted upon Black learners and the gatekeeping nature of the discipline of mathematics. Across the ten chapters, scholars expand the uses of CRT in mathematics education and share insights with stakeholders regarding the racialized experiences of mathematics students and educators. Collectively, the volume explains how researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can use CRT to examine issues of race, racism, and other forms of oppression in mathematics education for Black children and adults.

https://www.routledge.com/Critical-...ics-Education/Davis-Jett/p/book/9781138562677

 

[SeniorBen]

I found this link to the FL DOE web site. Take it for what it is worth:

Florida DOE

p.s. - I'm about 3% Neanderthal, and proud of it!

They're providing examples of how to use the math in real-life situations as apposed to learning it just because they're told to, which could make it more interesting and motivate some students. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[JimBob1952]

They're providing examples of how to use the math in real-life situations as apposed to learning it just because they're told to, which could make it more interesting and motivate some students. There's nothing wrong with that.

It's a most unwelcome injection of left-wing politics into what should be a politics-free environment. I don't want some moronic progressive indoctrinating my child about racism in the U.S. by using "real life" math problems. There is everything wrong with that.

 

[Vida May]

This is from a Washington Times news article (subscription required)..

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced Monday that the state Department of Education had rejected 41% of the math textbooks submitted for its K-12 curriculum next year, including 71% of K-5 math textbooks, because they include “references to critical race theory” or “social emotional learning.”

“Reveal Math K-5,” one of several textbooks from McGraw Hill that Florida rejected, encourages students to discuss how they feel about solving problems. Conservatives see the language as a Trojan horse for liberals to revive efforts to “decolonize” mathematics of a perceived bias against multicultural students.

“Every lesson integrates a social and emotional learning objective along with the math and language objectives,” Reveal Math K-5 states on page 52.

Would everyone object to that if we were talking sexism instead of racism?

We are at a crossroads of major social change or moving forward by assuring nothing changes. Kind of like other religiously dominated countries that remain in the past.

 

[JimBob1952]

I think, increasing awareness of why math education and racism are a problem, is a good thing. It is the same as the past math and sexism, that led us to believe girls did not do well in advanced math and the careers dependent on knowing math.



https://www.routledge.com/Critical-...ics-Education/Davis-Jett/p/book/9781138562677

What's interesting about this is that educators swear up and down in front of school board meetings that they are not injecting CRT into K-12 education. Yet that's what books like this are all about -- how to inject CRT into math education.

No wonder parents get the sense that schools are lying to them. They are!

 

[JimBob1952]

Would everyone object to that if we were talking sexism instead of racism?

We are at a crossroads of major social change or moving forward by assuring nothing changes. Kind of like other religiously dominated countries that remain in the past.

Well, one thing that hasn't changed is that US public schools are doing a terrible job of educating children. It's a lot easier to discuss racism in mathematics than it is to actually teach mathematics. Only a minority of US school children read or do math at "proficient" levels for their grades.

https://hechingerreport.org/national-test-scores-reveal-a-decade-of-educational-stagnation/

 

[Vida May]

Well, one thing that hasn't changed is that US public schools are doing a terrible job of educating children. It's a lot easier to discuss racism in mathematics than it is to actually teach mathematics. Only a minority of US school children read or do math at "proficient" levels for their grades.

https://hechingerreport.org/national-test-scores-reveal-a-decade-of-educational-stagnation/

Yes, as my interest in math increased I realized with horror that many grade school math teachers do not have a good understanding of math. They can do the functions but that is not a good understanding of math. Now the professor who can speak 4 hours about knots and how math can resolve DNA questions, has a good understanding of math. A teacher who understands origami and what math has to do with it, would be a more interesting teacher.

I think some students would be more apt to love math if they learned geometry before tackling algebra. Math, geometry, art and music, and science go very well together but how many schools give children the full package? The way most schools in the US are teaching math, assures only a few will excel.