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#1
02-09-2005, 08:42 AM
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14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
What?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146684,00.html (copy and paste into browser, as link won't copy in full) Let's see if we can do everything possible to make sure that our kids have absolutely no chance whatsoever in the workplace or in the real world. That way, they'll fail and hopefully, the entire country will fail. That way, the smaller, disadvantaged nations of the earth like Japan, China and Germany will have a better chance in the worldwide marketplace. Unbelievable. And by the way, I think they should have told this woman to just shut up, because she talks like she might have missed out on school entirely. She's not helping the cause: "The 'antiracist' and, actually, 'anti-American' curriculum permeates the school environment," Lillian Benson, whose children, ages 8 and 11, attend the district's schools, told FOXnews.com in an e-mail. "My children do not know Christopher Columbus, except that he was a racist who caused the death of many innocents or the founders of the nation. They have hardly heard of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln even though we live in the area that began it all. What they do know about is the wonders of Ghana, Mexico and China," she said. Anyway, Lillian Benson aside, I'm sure there a lot intelligent, enlightened people who will agree that this curriculum strategy is utterly insane. Right? 
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#2
02-09-2005, 09:04 AM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
I don't even understand why this story was written. What is wrong? The school decides that their first job is to teach kids to be open to different races, creeds, etc and people flip out? Do you think they sit around when math period comes and talk about why its ok that Jimmy is "black" and johnny is "white" and bob is "middle-eastern"? I love smell of propaganda in the morning...
credible news source by the way. Also... politics forum. Ok, im done being a nit, I'm sure broken plastic bottle or whatever his name is will come to the conservative rescue [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]
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#3
02-09-2005, 09:41 AM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
Read this if you're interested.. I will bold the part of the interview that is kind of relevant to your post.. Travis Kidd initiated a lawsuit against the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in December of 1997 after the agency rejected his 1996 attempt to apply for its pool of graduate fellowships reserved for minority students. His lawyers argued that the agency's use of racial criteria was unconstitutional. NSF disagrees, pointing to its congressional mandate to increase the numbers of minorities in science. But in June 1998, NSF settled out of court, partly to avoid additional court costs. NSF has agreed to pay $14,400 to Travis (the equivalent of 1 year's worth of an NSF fellowship) and $81,000 for his attorneys' fees. At the time of his NSF application, Travis was a master's student in math at Clemson University. He is now starting a Ph.D. program at the University of South Carolina. Next Wave: Do you have any insights as to what the fate of the NSF fellowship program will be? Travis Kidd: I can tell you that my attorneys have assured me that they are going to change the program. I assume that means they're going to get rid of the minority fellowship. It's not part of the settlement, so it's not like I can say I made them do it, but my attorneys have told me that it will be done. ... NW: Have you received any feedback from minority students who are frustrated? TK: No. I've kept everything low-key. I wasn't up for making a spectacle of myself or anything. I just wanted to do what was right, and I think I at least vindicated my own interest. I can't necessarily speak for anyone else. They [NSF] can continue doing what they're doing now and I can't stop them, but I don't think they will, because anyone else can sue now who feels discriminated against. I've been looking at certain financial aid opportunities at the University of Southern Carolina, some of which are sponsored by NSF for the purpose of increasing minority enrollment, and I might personally try to apply for one of those things. It's not right. It's my tax money, and I don't want it kept from me because of the color of my skin. NW: But there are other instances where tax money is used for specific populations. Certainly tax money is set aside for certain interest groups or specific diseases. TK: Congress may set priorities for which diseases get more spending, but I think that's a little different than judging someone on the color of their skin. For Congress to say that you're white, you can't have this money, I think that's wrong. NSF should be looking for the best scientists. NW: But NSF has more than one goal. Congress gave NSF a mandate to increase the number of minorities in science. The problem may be partially due to conflicting messages--the Justice Department and Congress are sending different messages. TK: The goal of NSF should be to support the best science. I think we need to increase the number of good scientists in science. There's no reason to give money to the black scientist if he's not as good. NW: One could make the argument that a more diverse workforce allows for more viewpoints, which leads to better arguments. An all-male, white staff of journalists is going to be more limited than a staff that recognizes and covers a wider range of stories, for example. In science this idea is particularly tricky, though. TK: Right. Math is math. You can't have different cultures teaching different things about math. You can't say, "The Pythagorean theorem--well that doesn't apply to African Americans." Well, clearly it does. I think the best way to help minorities who have perhaps been disadvantaged is to require that they be good scientists. That will give them the incentive to do a good job and perhaps earn the money in the right way. NW: Some minorities might agree with you: Some would say they don't want a handout, or that affirmative action programs reinforce the cultural mindset that minorities can't compete on an equal basis. TK: Exactly. NW: The other thing, though, is that you've got people who start off at a disadvantage. Affirmative action programs can be viewed as an attempt to recognize this--to level the playing field. And maybe rising above is a measure of success or potential that should be encouraged and rewarded. TK: That's possible, but it shouldn't come from race. There are a lot of white people who are disadvantaged. If you want to base it on current income, socioeconomic background, stuff like that, that's another thing. But a black person who may be a millionaire has a better shot at a minority fellowship than a white person who's had very little means. NW: So if the government wants to recognize the achievements of the underprivileged, you're saying programs should be based on socioeconomic background? TK: I'm not necessarily agreeing with that either; I'm just saying it's a better way if you want to address that problem. Personally I think what you need to do is get the best scientists in, because that's the whole purpose of the NSF. If you really want to advance the cause of science, get the best scientists. Certainly don't use Americans' tax money to discriminate, because that's what they're doing.
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#4
02-09-2005, 02:42 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
According to benchmarks for middle school education, the top objective for the district's math teachers is to teach "respect for human differences." The objective is for students to "live out the system-wide core value of 'respect for human differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors." This information comes directly from the curriculum guide. It's not a "school credo" or a "general primary mission statement," it's the math department's first order of business. The MATH curriculum is intended to be about race relations. You believe that this is positive and productive for anyone? I know you hate FoxNews. A lot of people do. In fact, I believe that they have recently become a little too agenda-driven. But there's nothing propaganda about this story. It's just plain stupid. Have the school motto include the word egalite if you like. But don't make parents need to supplement their kids' math studies with an outside source. P.S. Although you sound like a perfectly reasonable person, please remember that dismissing something with a snicker and a roll of the eyes as "propaganda" doesn't really build much credibilty. Picture Michael Moore at a podium laughing at all the dumb hillbillies for their moronic beliefs.
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#6
02-09-2005, 03:30 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
[ QUOTE ]
You believe that this is positive and productive for anyone? [/ QUOTE ] Yes.
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#7
02-09-2005, 03:41 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
I don't have a problem with the school having an overall goal of teaching tolerance and diversity, but to have this as the primary goal for a math class is ridiculous. The primary goal of a math class should be to teach math. I suspect that some genius in the school administration has declared that this is the primary goal for every class. How much this infuences the actual day-to-day teaching in the math class is a lot more important, but it bothers me that teaching "diversity" is seen as more important (at least on paper) than teaching math.
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#8
02-09-2005, 04:50 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
[ QUOTE ]
Fair & Balanced reporting lampooning "a wealthy, liberal niche of the Bay State"? [/ QUOTE ] Just because Fuhrman tried to frame OJ, that doesn't mean he didn't kill those people. Ok, bad example. How about this instead: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. That's not very good either. But you get the idea.
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#9
02-09-2005, 06:11 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
[ QUOTE ]
Fuhrman [/ QUOTE ] "Fuhrman? It's a racist name. Fuhrman? Fuhrer? Fuhrman? German? Fuhrman? German? I bet that nigga likes to say nigga. Trust me, as someone who says nigga a lot, that nigga says nigga all the time." -Dave Chappelle
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#10
02-09-2005, 06:55 PM
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Re: 14-6+31=A Celebration of Diversity?
Thanks for a very civil reply [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
When I think of the school doing this, I imagine just a "policy" that was made to make the school uber-PC for the wealthy liberals that send their kids there. I just do not see the teachers actually taking twenty minutes out of math class to talk about diversity. I assume that the word problems, etc promote diversity. Is it silly? Definetly. However, is it bad? I doubt it. One of the reasons I diagreed so much with the article, is because it provided no lesson plans or examples of the exercises done to promote diversity. It seemed pretty much like gossip from parents, no real facts about the classes. Teachers have an insanely difficult job in our society today. I need some hard facts before I criticize. If in the article I was to read "At the beginning of every math period the students spend 20 minutes reading completely unrelated math material" I would be very concerned, but until then, too much heresay for me to judge.
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