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 am not sure that a Math class is the appropriate place to be teaching about social injustices, especially a 5th grade class. Math has become difficult enough for students to master these days and incorporating yet another issue into the mix may only confusing and muddy the waters in an already difficult content. However, it this is something you are very passionate about doing I think it would be best to inform the parents at the beginning of the year about your intentions of incorporating social issues into the curriculum. The principal should definitely be on board to deal with any backlash that may occur die to parents disagreement with the materials. However, I think that if the majority of the parents are against this type of curriculum, it should be changed to appease them. There are other subjects where curriculum on social justices would be more appropriate.