Growing up, I was told that there were only two subjects taught in schools that were not racist, and one of them was math. However, it looks that that may now be the case, according to some. Dismantling Racism in Mathematics is a contentious new initiative that has enraged educators throughout the country. The Education Trust-West, located in Oakland, California, established the Dismantling Racism in Mathematics curriculum. The workbook is being utilized in states including Georgia, Ohio, California, and Oregon, according to a report by The 74 Million.
Teachers are empowered by the program because it reinforces the fact that racial bias is embedded in every part of American culture, including mathematics education. The program that is funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which uses a workbook for teachers, offers A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction that helps weaken the power structures built into the American way of life. Several practices, according to the program, are damaging to minorities. In the program, these frequent teaching methods are viewed as more detrimental than beneficial.
Grading, asking students to display their work, requiring involvement, and encouraging students to work hard to achieve the proper answers are all examples of these strategies. The program is part of a larger movement for Critical Race Theory, which claims that racism is ingrained in American culture. CRT claims that bias exists in everything, even supposedly impartial subjects like mathematics and how it is taught in American institutions. Critical Race Theorists worry that it will simply serve to reinforce negative perceptions and promote racism in the United States.
