The
Oregon Department of
Education (ODE) recently encouraged teachers to register for training that encourages "ethnomathematics" and argues, among other things, that White supremacy manifests itself in the focus on finding the right answer.
An
ODE newsletter sent last week advertises a Feb. 21
"Pathway to Math Equity Micro-Course," which is designed for middle school teachers to make use of a toolkit for "dismantling racism in mathematics."
Part of the
toolkit includes a list of ways "white supremacy culture" allegedly "infiltrates math classrooms." Those include "the focus is on getting the 'right' answer," students being "required to 'show their work,'" and other alleged manifestations.
"The concept of mathematics being purely objective is unequivocally false, and teaching it is even much less so," the document for the "Equitable Math" toolkit reads. "Upholding the idea that there are always right and wrong answers perpetuate objectivity as well as fear of open conflict." :ROLLEYES:
ODE Communications Director Marc Siegel defended the "Equitable Math"
educational program, saying it "helps educators learn key tools for engagement, develop strategies to improve equitable outcomes for Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, and join communities of practice."
An
associated "Dismantling Racism" workbook, linked within the toolkit, similarly identifies "objectivity" -- described as "the belief that there is such a thing as being objective or ‘neutral'" -- as a characteristic of White supremacy.
Instead of focusing on one right answer, the toolkit encourages teachers to "come up with at least two answers that might solve this problem."
It adds: "Challenge standardized test questions by getting the 'right' answer, but justify other answers by unpacking the assumptions that are made in the problem."
It also instructs educators to "identify and challenge the ways that math is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views."
