The implementation suggestions aren't crazy.  The rhetorical content wrapped around it is what's crazy.  I also wonder if the person in charge of the newsletter even read the course before they provided a link to it, or did they just think "oh multicultural, that's a good thing."

On 2/12/2021 2:02 PM, Chuck McCown via AF wrote:
No but it seems to be a philosophy that is getting pushed by some.  I think it would harm the students.
*From:* Adam Moffett
*Sent:* Friday, February 12, 2021 11:48 AM
*To:* [email protected]
*Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT possibly political

This course seems stupid.  The original context is the Oregon DOE newsletter provided a link to it.

On the one hand, the DOE is not forcing any teachers to take this course.  On the other hand I don't understand why they would even suggest it.  On the other-other hand, I don't think we need to flip about it.  This is not an actual math curriculum.

On 2/12/2021 1:24 PM, Chuck McCown via AF wrote:
Yeah, that is what got me too.  We all know there are a bunch of ways to arrive at the right answer. But in math, most of the time there is one and only one right answer.  Or in the cases of roots, you can have two right elements of the solution but you need both of them to constitute the one right answer.
*From:* Mathew Howard
*Sent:* Friday, February 12, 2021 11:17 AM
*To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
*Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT possibly political
I think this quote pretty much tells you all you need to know: "Upholding the idea that there are always right and wrong answers perpetuate objectivity as well as fear of open conflict." If they were talking about teaching different methods of arriving at the correct answer, that's a fair discussion. I think it's probably true that there are differences in the way individual's brains work that make some methods work better for some people than others (although I seriously doubt that has anything to do with race, but it could very well be related to cultural and linguistic background), so there's a reasonable argument for saying that we should look at different methods of arriving at the correct answer, but I'm pretty sure that math is one area where there is in fact always a right and wrong answer. On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 11:54 AM Cameron Crum <[email protected]> wrote:

    Well if that doesn't spell it out for you, I don't know what
    does. I was half kidding in my response earlier, but looks like
    it was spot on now. We are doomed if this crap is allowed to
    proceed.
    On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 11:48 AM Chuck McCown via AF
    <[email protected]> wrote:

        
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/oregon-math-course-racism-white-supremacy-teachers
        
<https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/oregon-math-course-racism-white-supremacy-teachers>
        https://www.foxnews.com/us/oregon-education-math-white-supremacy
        <https://www.foxnews.com/us/oregon-education-math-white-supremacy>
        *From:* Carl Peterson
        *Sent:* Friday, February 12, 2021 10:18 AM
        *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group
        *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT possibly political
        Not sure of your source but I think you misunderstand.
        
https://www.mathnasium.com/littleton-news-when-one-correct-math-answer-is-not-enough
        
<https://www.mathnasium.com/littleton-news-when-one-correct-math-answer-is-not-enough>
        "Reframing the above problem to encourage divergent thinking
        might look something like this:

        “Find the sum of 32 + 5 and then create more equations that
        have the same sum.”

        Theoretically, someone could keep thinking about this problem
        forever and generate infinite correct answers."

        On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 10:32 AM Chuck McCown via AF
        <[email protected]> wrote:

            Just read of a push to teach a “new math” the encourages
            multiple “correct answers” to math problems and
            eliminates “show your work”.  Supposedly cleanses math
            teaching from institutional racism.
            OK, irrespective of your genetics, heritage, cultural
            backgropund and gender choices, if I tell an employee to
            go read the sequentials off of a reel of cable and tell
            me how much is left, they better get one frigging answer,
            the one and only correct answer.
            So I am an old fat entitled unwoke white guy.  By some
            accounts automatically racist.  I don’t feel that way,
            but again I am unwoke (whatever in the hell that means) 
            so I wouldn’t know.
            I simply don’t get how getting the one and only right
            answer in math class is institutional racism. Can you
            imagine someone that came up through schools that allow
            this trying to get into an engineering program? Now who
            is suppressing whom...
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