Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Math and Social Justice! No No! Recently, I read a report in a national magazine on income levels of different groups of people in the US. The report especially featured income differences between males, females and different ethnic groups. Some of the statistics were very disturbing. For example, women holding the same job as men with same number of years in the job made considerably less money in most of the states. Differences between ethnic groups were even more disturbing. I decided to use these data in my math class with my 5th graders in a lesson on graphing. The purpose was for the students to be able to interpret graphs and create graphs using the information provided. Students enjoyed the lesson and learned some social justice lessons. Apparently a lot of my students talked to their parents about what they had learned in class when they went home. I received notes from about 10 parents the next day simply indicating that what I taught in my math class would lead to hatred among my students and that I should not be wasting their children's valuable time. Rather, they suggested, I should teach math with no controversial materials. I completely disagree with them and I plan to use similar materials in my other courses as well. However, my principals asked me to send an explanation to those parents. I know my explanation will not stop the complaints. How should I go about this potentially long battle? Or should I take the short cut simply remove such content from my lessons? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would not remove any of the content from your instruction. But, I do agree with your principals that you should inform your parents and explain the goals and purposes of integrating social justice lessons. Parents should always be informed of controversial topics, especially at the elementary level. Some injustices taught could create an unhealthy angst for a child. When informed, most parents become supportive. At the 5th grade level, make sure the issues you present to your students connect to their lives. They should be multicultural, anti-racist, pro justice, hopeful, kind, and visionary. Remember that by choosing to respect and not disregard your parents' perspectives, you are modeling to all what it looks like to have mutual respect for all types of diversity- the root of all social injustice.