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Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2020, 11:20 AM
DANIEL PAYNE, ASSISTANT EDITOR - The College Fix


https://i.imgur.com/xuNHVdl.jpg

A math professor recently involved in a political controversy in academic mathematics has issued a call for “ideas” on how to “advance #socialjustice” in a mathematics textbook series.

Chad Topaz was one of the professors at the center of the uproar against Abigail Thompson, a math professor at the University of California, Davis, who recently wrote in opposition to required “diversity statements” in academia. Thompson derided the practice of diversity statements, referring to them as “using a political test as a screen for job applicants.”

Topaz, a mathematics professor at Williams College, played a prominent role in marshaling opposition to Thompson, telling activists to bombard UC Davis with “public shame,” announcing that he would urge his graduate students and undergrads to avoid applying to the institution, and offering a letter template for activists to mail into the American Mathematical Society, where Thompson is a vice president and in whose journal the essay appeared.

On Monday of this week, Topaz was further engaged in social justice activism, telling his followers on Twitter that he was potentially in line to receive an offer “to join the editorial board of a particular math book series,” that he would only do so as a means to “advance #socialjustice,” and that he was interested in fielding suggestions to that effect.
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Numerous responses to Topaz’s tweet were not favorable. “Reject the offer. That is all,” one user wrote. Another said: “Please let this be satire.” Others wrote: “try teaching math.” “Activism isn’t math.” “is this a parody account?” “How about teaching maths & losing the cancerous SJW nonsense?”

Some respondents offered more equivocal advice. “The history of math and how it is at root multicultural, diverse and therefore for ALL to freely practice and study. One page. Then get on to actually TEACHING MATH,” one user said. Others suggested making textbooks free.

In his Twitter bio, Topaz refers to himself as a “social-justice-oriented professor of applied math/data science” as well as a “freelance violist” and “gay, gay, gay.”

DemonGeminiX
01-08-2020, 11:38 AM
Here's an idea: Forget the social justice bullshit and just write a math textbook. Or better yet, forget about writing a textbook and use an already existing textbook that was around before the social justice and common core horseshit. They're good ones, I promise.

Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2020, 11:39 AM
Here's an idea: Forget the social justice bullshit and just write a math textbook. Or better yet, forget about writing a textbook and use an already existing textbook that was around before the social justice and common core horseshit. They're good ones, I promise.

Math evolves just like the rest of the world :nono:

DemonGeminiX
01-08-2020, 11:42 AM
Math evolves when researchers find new ways of solving complicated problems, or find solutions to previously unsolvable problems, not when somebody's pussy hurts.

Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2020, 11:42 AM
https://francesharper.com/social-justice-math/


When people talk about equity in mathematics education, they are often talking about more equal access to high-quality mathematics instruction, better resources, and advanced courses. They might also mean higher achievement for historically low-performing students, like Black students or students from low-income backgrounds. Equitable teaching practices, like Complex Instruction, can go a long way towards helping every student have access to high-quality mathematics learning, and consequently higher achievement. But that’s only part of the picture.

An overemphasis on access and achievement through “good” math teaching ignores the fact that the school mathematics curriculum is ripe with political, racial and gender bias. How and what students are expected to learn inherently gives some students easier access than others. The mathematics that we value, and therefore use to gauge achievement, reflects the viewpoints of the dominant group in our society (i.e. White, middle class, heterosexual male). The existing mathematics curriculum sends strong messages about who is capable of learning mathematics. It’s no wonder that some students struggle to succeed in mathematics and that others actively choose not to engage in mathematics.

For example, consider the following question:


It costs $1.50 to travel each way on the city bus. A transit city “fast pass” costs $65 a month. Which is the more economical way to get to work, the daily fare or the fast pass?

Answer:

5 workdays in a week x 4 weeks per month = 20 workdays in a month

20 days x $3 roundtrip = $60, so the daily fare is cheaper Source

This problem was taken from a district-wide assessment (Tate, 1997), which unfairly relies on assumptions that middle-class students would make. To get the correct answer, you must assume a 5 day workweek. But students from lower income families might ask: How many jobs does this person have? How many days a week does he/she work? The problem also assumes that the “fast pass” will only be used for commuting to work. Families without a car might also need to use the city bus for grocery shopping, for example.

Approaches to mathematics teaching that don’t question the mathematics curriculum itself have severe limitations. “Good” teaching alone doesn’t necessarily help students overcome inequities in society at large, which stem from racism, classism and sexism. Students need more critical awareness of how to advocate for themselves – for their own mathematics learning in other math classes or for more equitable opportunities in general.

:privilege:

DemonGeminiX
01-08-2020, 11:45 AM
People like that are missing the point of the exercise.

Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2020, 11:49 AM
Says the guy preaching from his ivory tower built on the backs of the oppressed [-(

DemonGeminiX
01-08-2020, 11:51 AM
:nono:

My ivory tower was built using proper mathematics.

Teh One Who Knocks
01-08-2020, 01:35 PM
:nono:

My ivory tower was built using proper mathematics.

Colonizer! :x