School District Hosts Year-Long Anti-Whiteness Training to Fight 'Curricular Violence' in Math

We’re living in an age of redefined words.

For example, “violence” has taken on a whole new meaning.

The old definition: violence.

The best I can tell at this point, the term indicates something someone doesn’t like.

In a related story, Louisville, Kentucky’s Jefferson County Public Schools is set on straightening crooked education.

As reported by The College Fix, the district will host teacher training on antiracist mathematics.

The instruction will span an entire school year, and it’s intended to “eliminate curricular violence.”

Another aim: to “innovate mathematics education.”

Per an application form allegedly obtained by the outlet:

This cohort will include anti-bias, anti-racist, and racially equitable practices to eliminate curricular violence and innovate mathematics education.

And here’s good news for all: In terms of color concentration, the initiative will target not beigeness, not a light walnut, but “whiteness” specifically.

Maybe they’ll work through other hues at a later date.

From the tweeted flyer:

Through this collaboration, mathematics educators will find ways to analyze, identify, and challenge bias, racism, and whiteness in mathematics education and, more importantly, develop pedagogical practices that are anti-racist while being coached and engaged by a national leader in racially equitable mathematics.

The 2-hours-per-month seminars will be led by Kennesaw State University’s Dr. Lateefah Id-Deen.

Kennesaw’s faculty page describes the professor thusly:

My research examines vulnerable students mathematics identities and sense of belonging to enhance student-teacher relationships in mathematics classrooms. I also explore Black students perspectives on their experiences in mathematics classrooms, and ways to support educators in hearing and developing practice in relation to students expressed interests.

Evidently, the training comes courtesy of Jefferson County’s Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department.

@jcpsky staff is invited to join our upcoming PD Cohort titled Anti-Racist Mathematics, facilitated by Dr. Lateefah ID-Deen. Register by visiting: https://t.co/4APD3rLuqO @AvenCook @Prof_IdDeenL #jcpsdep pic.twitter.com/gErkuOkWYn

— JCPS Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Department (@JCPSDEP1) May 3, 2021

The notion of Caucasian-concocted racism ruining math is nothing new.

As I covered in February, Oregon took a shot at shedding counting and calculating of its KKK-ish components:

Department of Education Fights the White Supremacy of Math
https://t.co/OndlUMyHiE

— RedState (@RedState) February 15, 2021

From that report:

A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction: Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction offers 14 manifestations of white supremacy.

Compliments of the New York Post, rid yourself of racism:

Perfectionism

Sense of Urgency

Defensiveness

Quantity Over Quality

Worship of the Written Word

Only One Right way

Paternalism

Either/Or Thinking

Power Hoarding

Fear of Open Conflict

Individualism

Progress is Bigger More

Objectivity

Right to Comfort

Work’s being done on multiple fronts:

University Professor Calls out the Racist 'Dehumanization' of Saying Asians are Good at Math https://t.co/n7cV9S2858

— RedState (@RedState) March 22, 2021

And it isn’t just primary school math that needs a makeover. See also:

Does Not Compute: Science Tries to Cancel the Term ‘Quantum Supremacy’ – for Obvious Reasons

College Symposium Razes the Anti-Black Racism of ‘Good’ Grammar

As noted by the Fix, Kentucky’s contribution to classroom correction is set to proceed as follows:

[Sessions will] focus on topics like white supremacy in mathematics, racial trauma in mathematics, and creating anti-racist lesson plans. …

Along with the monthly 2-hour sessions, participants receive individual coaching and feedback. …

Teachers accepted into the program are required to teach four social justice math lessons during the Spring 2022 semester. They are also expected to “plan for wider dissemination of their learning within their schools and the district.”

Over the last several years, school has certainly changed.

When I was growing up, the classroom was a place where kids retrieved objective data from a book and were tested on their memorization and understanding of such.

At times, they were challenged to apply mathematical principles in order to solve quantitative problems.

With so much present promotion of social awareness, it’s hard to imagine learning institutions having time for the old stuff anymore.

But I suppose they’re figuring it out.

As for racism in math, perhaps our contemporary consciousness will birth an all-new anti-whiteness abacus.

Such a device might prove victorious over violence.

And in doing things differently, it may be just the change we need.

But if it adds and subtracts in a manner other than the one you learned using your fingers and toes…I wouldn’t count on it.

-ALEX

See more pieces from me:

Report: Professor Tells White Student if He’s Breathing, He ‘May Have Oppressed Somebody’ Today

Not Very Virginia: County Refuses to Comply With DOE’s Transgender Locker Room Rules

Rhode Island City Enters Phase 2 of ‘Black and Indigenous’ Reparations