TeacherServer.com
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 think that your lesson was appropriate and meaningful, and it seems like you have your principal's support. I would explain in your letter to the parents what your goals were and why you included that information in your lesson. I do not believe that teaching students about situations of injustice is inappropriate or will encourage hatred among your students. Instead it will make them aware of real life issues and without knowledge change can never occur. I also think that by omitting controversial topics, teachers may be sending the message that those issues are not important. This is similar to when we teach the about the Holocaust while reading The Diary of Anne Frank with our 6th grade students. We tell the students that even though this can be a difficult and sensitive topic for students, knowledge and awareness is what promotes change and keeps us from repeating past mistakes.