I think it was a different school district, but we did a post a year or two ago about a school that was going to offer advanced math classes like calculus in 11th and 12th grades only — up until then, all students would take the same math curriculum.
So this bad idea has been around for a bit.
The Boston Globe is reporting on Cambridge Public School, which eliminated advanced math classes in middle school in the name of equity.
Cambridge Public Schools eliminated advanced math in middle school with the aim of reducing disparities between low-income children of color and their more affluent peers. But some families and educators argue the decision has had the opposite effect. https://t.co/5e1ECB5Kaz
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) July 14, 2023
Low-income children of color and their more affluent peers? But President Joe Biden himself assured us that poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids. Are there any low-income white children at the school?
The disparity seems to be that the parents of those more affluent children are able to give them private lessons, widening the gap even further.
"In Dallas, on the other hand, a 2019 change that requires students to opt out of honors classes — rather than opt in — has led to 60 percent of eighth graders taking algebra 1, triple the prior level. It was a move education leaders banked on to increase the number of historically marginalized students in advanced courses."
"Historically marginalized students." Who is marginalizing them? Certainly not the public schools.
Is this about feelings — not wanting to make the historically marginalized students feel left behind? Or is it a way for the school to give its DEI department something to do, so they can crow about those marginalized students doing just as well as the affluent ones?
I'm shocked Democrat policies failed in such colossal fashion.
— JWF (@JammieWF) July 16, 2023
Then they elected more Democrats.
All that you're doing is depriving more advanced students of a challenging education, which is not only grossly unfair but arguably illegal.
— Adamas Nemesis (@AdamasNemesis) July 15, 2023
Have they tried hiring better teachers to teach the-
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) July 17, 2023
*squints*
“-Low income children of color”?
equality is when no one gets to learn math
— {garçon à la mode} (@techbropicasso) July 15, 2023
That’s one way to keep people from understanding the meaning of “lowest-common denominator”.
— Callous (@LucasMaddy) July 15, 2023
Sad to say, but the most cutting edge innovators in the world aren't created by "equity" moves like this; they are created by challenging and fostering the education of the most gifted students. To rob them of that will hurt our long term success in the world marketplace.
— ClimbTheMtn (@MtnTha) July 16, 2023
Are Asians “children of color”?
— Peter Boghossian (@peterboghossian) July 15, 2023
It depends. We saw at least one school which trumpeted the diversity of its freshman class, which was divided into whites and Asians in one column and people of color (non-Asian) in another.
Handicapping low income students who are able to do advanced coursework by taking it away isn’t helping them.
— Jean (@queens_parents) July 15, 2023
I was a low-income student, but I was still offered the opportunity to take advanced placement classes. I've got a master's degree (so does my sister) and neither of my parents went to college. Having those avenues to advance was crucial. This is just punishing aptitude, which is not what America needs right now.
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