Math books banned for Critical Race Theory

[Frustration]

Notably, the books had biographies for multiple black math teachers and math geniuses.

Apparently THIS was the objectional content.

Yes, that's quite objectionable. If there were blurbs of famous mathematicians - including but not limited to non-white men - that would be fine. (Some of the most important mathematicians weren't even European, after all, and some were women.) But a math textbook isn't the place to play politics.

[Nealithi]

Everyone check the thermometer in Hell.
Clearspira and Frustration agree on something.
=^_~=

[Frustration]

Now we will fight to the death with knives!

[CharlesPhipps]

Notably, the books had biographies for multiple black math teachers and math geniuses.

Apparently THIS was the objectional content.

Yes, that's quite objectionable. If there were blurbs of famous mathematicians - including but not limited to non-white men - that would be fine. (Some of the most important mathematicians weren't even European, after all, and some were women.) But a math textbook isn't the place to play politics.

Out of curiosity, do you have any evidence it was motivated by race or just want to believe they are simply not the best in their field?

[CharlesPhipps]

You are either wilfully or innocently ignoring what I said so lets proceed under the second assumption and try again.

If you have a list of five white mathematicians and five black mathematicians then that is what is called equality. There is no way under this scenario you can infer bias, politics, or racism.
If however you have a list of no white mathematicians and ten black mathematicians then that is a political decision that you have made to promote one race over another.

The former: good.
The latter: bad.

Unless the mathematicians listed there are listed on merit.

[CharlesPhipps]

But rather than hearsay, let's actually go with what was in the textbooks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/22/us/f ... books.html

Interestingly enough, the biggest reason they were rejected was the fear they taught children to be respectful.

...

No, I'm not jjoking.

[Riedquat]

You are either wilfully or innocently ignoring what I said so lets proceed under the second assumption and try again.

If you have a list of five white mathematicians and five black mathematicians then that is what is called equality. There is no way under this scenario you can infer bias, politics, or racism.
If however you have a list of no white mathematicians and ten black mathematicians then that is a political decision that you have made to promote one race over another.

The former: good.
The latter: bad.

They're either there on merit, in which case the numbers of black and white mathematicians doesn't matter one jot, any more than their hair colours, or they're there for political reasons. Looking at the numbers alone doesn't tell you which it is.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Notably, the books had biographies for multiple black math teachers and math geniuses.

Apparently THIS was the objectional content.

Can't let people know black people have accomplishments.

If that's all it is then I agree: its a dumb thing to complain about... as long as ALL RACES were getting representation in the biography section of these books. If its just a random list of black people then that is political.

Yes because heaven forbid we let one group of people get some attention then another, and another. No we have to either have minority get all the love at once or none at all. Not like we could pace it until it part of our culture irreversibly.

The moment you deliberately pick one race over another is the moment that you are not actually celebrating their achievements you are celebrating their skin colour. That's political and it has no place in a maths textbook. Or a science textbook either come to that. And if that is what these books are doing then I have no problem in declaring that they should be removed.

First it was "as long as math is math, that's fine".
Now suddenly we have to make sure there's enough white people to satisfy your arbitrary quotas. Whatever happened to focusing on the math?

I knew you'd find some way to agree with the people banning textbooks somehow.

[phantom000]

I knew you'd find some way to agree with the people banning textbooks somehow.

And this is why more and more people are just throwing up their hands and walking away. It's not about math, or CRT or even education anymore, it's just a bunch of people trying to make themselves feel important by seeing who can make the most noise.

[Frustration]

"People trying to make themselves feel important by seeing who can make the most noise" is 90+% of our entire civilization at this point.