California adopts new math framework emphasizing equity and cultural responsiveness

We thought things were bad when they were pushing Common Core. But then we came to a time when alleged intellectuals argued on Twitter that two plus two can equal five. This came among a wave of mathematics instruction meant to be "culturally inclusive." You see, math classrooms are steeped in "whiteness," where it's important to show your work on a math problem. Teachers looked for new approaches, such as shooting TikTok videos about mathematical concepts, to accommodate everyone.

California has just adopted a new math education framework, which isn't law, but is expected to influence mathematics curriculums throughout the state. 

They've finally done it. California approves the new math curriculum guidance.

Out: explicit instruction and methods for doing math.

In: "meaning-making", social justice, and an "inquiry" based approach. https://t.co/uyagnyBf9p pic.twitter.com/kxykyqWuEZ

— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) July 13, 2023

Should social justice be addressed in math class? Yes, yes it should. Sarah Schwartz writes for Education Week:

Beyond these debates about teaching strategies, problem-based learning has long faced political critiques—often from conservatives, who oppose the idea that math class could be a venue to discuss social justice themes or solutions to public policy problems.

The California framework encourages teachers in this work on two fronts. First, the collaborative, inquiry-based approach is meant to support students from all backgrounds to find a sense of belonging in math classrooms and to engage their participation in meaningful conversations about math. Second, math content itself can help students use math to examine inequities and address important issues in their lives and communities.

Such an orientation toward social justice has faced sharp criticism from some members of the math community. In an open letter in 2021, over a thousand signatories—many of them math and science professors and business professionals—outlined pieces of a prior draft of the framework that they said would politicize the subject in a “potentially disastrous way.”

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"Math content itself can help students use math to examine inequities … in the lives and communities."

First you handicap children in their ability to acquire basic skills

Then you reclassify the requirement that college or job applicants possess basic skills as form of inequity and replace that criterion with competence in repeating the DEI regime's mantras https://t.co/9zx63virHi

— Wesley Yang (@wesyang) July 13, 2023

This is what we said a couple of weeks ago when everyone was freaking out that the Supreme Court had banned affirmative action from university admissions. Why are so many kids coming out of public schools unprepared for college? Maybe because they've decided that two and two making five is "culturally responsive."

So in the future we probably won't have enough competent people to keep the ubiquitous and extremely complex technology we depend on up and running anymore.

Maybe AI and robots will save the day, but who the heck will make those if 2+2 can equal 5?

— Hypersane (@Hypersane23) July 13, 2023

China will continue to provide competent workers.
The US will continue to decline.

— Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) July 13, 2023

Teaching math now involves “a sense of belonging” and “meaning-making”?!? Teach the kids actual math first and they can make meaning of it in college or grad school. Or just as adults.

— Sugaree ⚡️🇺🇸🐰 מתוקתי 🟣 (@sugaree71) July 13, 2023

Teaching math now involves “a sense of belonging” and “meaning-making”?!? Teach the kids actual math first and they can make meaning of it in college or grad school. Or just as adults.

— Sugaree ⚡️🇺🇸🐰 מתוקתי 🟣 (@sugaree71) July 13, 2023

This ain't fixing it.

— THE Crapplefratz (Accept no substitutes) (@Crapplefratz) July 13, 2023

❌Personality Scores
❌Race based admissions
❌Removing SAT from admissions criteria
❌End selective enrollment public high schools
✔️Remove effective math education from public schools

— Emre (@emre_mayo) July 13, 2023

Once again, Wokeness is a religion. There is nothing it will not co-opt and corrupt.

— George From NY (@GeorgeFromNY1) July 13, 2023

But damn the Chinese for focusing on math and science instead of this social nonsense.

— kalebg (@kalebg_land) July 13, 2023

This will no doubt hurt poor disadvantaged kids the most.

While making the predominantly middle-class white liberals feel like the saviors they think they are. 😒

— Rebecca V-Devoted Reality Believer (@RebeccaAVelo) July 13, 2023

This completely nuts. But you can also expect ultra conservative politicians to create a curriculum in their states embracing the other extreme. It’s exasperating.

— Maranello1977 (@maranello1977) July 13, 2023

The "other extreme" being -- explicit instructions in doing math

— Wesley Yang (@wesyang) July 13, 2023

Look at all of the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments that took place after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was going to turn New College into a proper university.

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