[lowrider]

I just don't get it. Only this time they say this is an approved lesson, whatever that means.

I still think it's inappropriate.


Math Homework References Slavery
Aungelique Proctor
Mar 20, 2012 5:37 p.m.


A Clayton County parent is upset after he says his son was given a math homework assignment that referenced slavery.

Christopher Jackson said his 9-year-old son was asked an extra-credit homework question given out at James A. Jackson Elementary School that read, "A plantation owner had 100 slaves. If three-fifths of them are counted for representation, how many slaves will be counted?"

In January, some Gwinnett County parents became upset over a third-grade math assignment contained multiple references to slavery. One teacher later resigned over that controversy. The story received attention nationwide.

[Riograce]

At least the question has some historical basis:

The Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787

Honest to God, some people are waaaay too quick to find offense. Maybe if Dad had done some research (since he obviously wasn't paying attention when *he* was in school), he would have realized that this was a perfectly legitimate question. Like it or not, slavery *happened* - it's a lot healthier to acknowledge it and learn everything we can about it so that future generations can accept as a matter of course how abhorrent it was and is.

[hurstrsq]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 05:18 PM, said:

I just don't get it. Only this time they say this is an approved lesson, whatever that means.

I still think it's inappropriate.


Math Homework References Slavery
Aungelique Proctor
Mar 20, 2012 5:37 p.m.


A Clayton County parent is upset after he says his son was given a math homework assignment that referenced slavery.

Christopher Jackson said his 9-year-old son was asked an extra-credit homework question given out at James A. Jackson Elementary School that read, "A plantation owner had 100 slaves. If three-fifths of them are counted for representation, how many slaves will be counted?"

In January, some Gwinnett County parents became upset over a third-grade math assignment contained multiple references to slavery. One teacher later resigned over that controversy. The story received attention nationwide.

What exactly do you find inappropriate?

[gog8tors]

Riograce, on 20 March 2012 - 05:38 PM, said:

At least the question has some historical basis:

The Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787

Honest to God, some people are waaaay too quick to find offense. Maybe if Dad had done some research (since he obviously wasn't paying attention when *he* was in school), he would have realized that this was a perfectly legitimate question. Like it or not, slavery *happened* - it's a lot healthier to acknowledge it and learn everything we can about it so that future generations can accept as a matter of course how abhorrent it was and is.

Yep can't argue with that.

[Greatma]

Do they want their kids to grow up and not know the past history? This
is rediculious, my kids had to learn history, whether it was about whites,
Indians, blacks. or whatever. They just took it as a history lesson.
This is taking it too far.

[CrabbyDaddy]

Black history month was February. Why would they be teaching this in March? I think people are overlooking this and the teacher should be fired because of that alone!!!

[lowrider]

It wasn't History. It was a math question. Just like before.

[hurstrsq]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 06:59 PM, said:

It wasn't History. It was a math question. Just like before.

Just because it happened (slavery) doesn't mean you can't talk about it. Everyone agrees and knows it was a terrible practice (except a few radical crazy folks), but it is part of our history.

Your kind of thinking is part of the problem.

[lowrider]

hurstrsq, on 20 March 2012 - 07:31 PM, said:

Just because it happened (slavery) doesn't mean you can't talk about it. Everyone agrees and knows it was a terrible practice (except a few radical crazy folks), but it is part of our history.

Your kind of thinking is part of the problem.

No, it's not.

I don't see how it is relevant to math to discuss slavery.

Slavery is part if history and should be discussed, during history.

Just like the teacher(s) that got fired a couple of months back in Gwinette county, what does slavery have to do with math?

I talk about it all the time with my grandson. From time to time with my friends and many times with my black friends. It's not taboo, it's just not relevant to math.

BMR, on 20 March 2012 - 06:07 PM, said:

Do they want their kids to grow up and not know the past history? This
is rediculious, my kids had to learn history, whether it was about whites,
Indians, blacks. or whatever. They just took it as a history lesson.
This is taking it too far.

It wasn't history, it was a math question.

[i_have3dogs]

Without more information, this question would be difficult to answer. We would need to know how many of the slaves were women.

[Riograce]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 07:46 PM, said:

No, it's not.

I don't see how it is relevant to math to discuss slavery.

Slavery is part if history and should be discussed, during history.

Just like the teacher(s) that got fired a couple of months back in Gwinette county, what does slavery have to do with math?

I talk about it all the time with my grandson. From time to time with my friends and many times with my black friends. It's not taboo, it's just not relevant to math.

They're called *word problems*. The teacher composes a mini-narrative that includes calculations, and the students have to find the answer using formulas that have been previously taught.

I have no problem incorporating historical facts and events into the curriculum in another subject as long as the facts and events are presented accurately. There was NOTHING about the question that you posted that was biased or inflammatory.

I'm with an earlier poster: those who remain hyper-sensitive to ANYTHING relating to slavery (or any other hot-button topic) only exacerbate whatever negativity exists.

[lowrider]

Riograce, on 20 March 2012 - 08:06 PM, said:

They're called *word problems*. The teacher composes a mini-narrative that includes calculations, and the students have to find the answer using formulas that have been previously taught.

I have no problem incorporating historical facts and events into the curriculum in another subject as long as the facts and events are presented accurately. There was NOTHING about the question that you posted that was biased or inflammatory.

I'm with an earlier poster: those who remain hyper-sensitive to ANYTHING relating to slavery (or any other hot-button topic) only exacerbate whatever negativity exists.

Don't be condescending to me. I know what word problems are.

I don't think it's appropriate, the rest of you do.

It is what it is.

[i_have3dogs]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 08:16 PM, said:

Don't be condescending to me. I know what word problems are.

I don't think it's appropriate, the rest of you do.

It is what it is.

Nope.... just over sensitive. Some people are not happy unless they find something wrong or a reason to be offended in anything.

[Riograce]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 08:16 PM, said:

Don't be condescending to me. I know what word problems are....

I apologize.


I'm just bewildered and a little saddened by those who see bigotry where none exists.

[lowrider]

Thank you.

I don't see bigotry. I see insensitivity in light of what JUST happened in Gwinette county.

And I don't call it sensitivity on my part. I call it empathy.

[dana]

Riograce, on 20 March 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

I apologize.


I'm just bewildered and a little saddened by those who see bigotry where none exists.

I agree.

[Happy Wife And Mom]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 08:30 PM, said:

I don't see bigotry. I see insensitivity in light of what JUST happened in Gwinette county.

See, and I see full blown stupidity on the part of the teacher. Learn from others' mistakes people.

[TabbyCat]

Learning that lasts isn't compartmentalized into neat little categories like "math" and "science" and "social studies."

Learning that matters is contextual, and crosses all categories.

Knowledge isn't subject-specific. History is only interesting if it's made relevant to the present.

If the history isn't beautiful...there's lessons in that. And they should be taught. It's not culturally insensitive to be honest about history anymore than it is to be honest about science or language.

I have no problem with the question.

[dana]

TabbyCat, on 20 March 2012 - 08:53 PM, said:

Learning that lasts isn't compartmentalized into neat little categories like "math" and "science" and "social studies."

Learning that matters is contextual, and crosses all categories.

Knowledge isn't subject-specific. History is only interesting if it's made relevant to the present.

If the history isn't beautiful...there's lessons in that. And they should be taught. It's not culturally insensitive to be honest about history anymore than it is to be honest about science or language.

I have no problem with the question.

Very well said, I agree!

[sugail]

lowrider, on 20 March 2012 - 06:59 PM, said:

It wasn't History. It was a math question. Just like before.

It seems to me that someone wants to keep things stirred up. Didn't they learn from the uproar in Gwinnett that these kind of "word problems" would stir parents up? Of course it should be taught in history class but it seems like this kind of question being carried over into mass class is rubbing it in.

[lowrider]

Happy Wife And Mom, on 20 March 2012 - 08:52 PM, said:

See, and I see full blown stupidity on the part of the teacher. Learn from others' mistakes people.

Thank you. That was my point.

sugail, on 20 March 2012 - 09:07 PM, said:

It seems to me that someone wants to keep things stirred up. Didn't they learn from the uproar in Gwinnett that these kind of "word problems" would stir parents up? Of course it should be taught in history class but it seems like this kind of question being carried over into mass class is rubbing it in.

Again, that was my point.

[workingforaliving]

There is a STRONG push to incorporate all subjects into one lesson. It's difficult some times, but teachers bend over backwards to make it happen. We're told to do it and provided very little guidelines.



I think as long as you can back up a lesson with a standard, then everything is okay.





(Also, I don't know anything about social studies standards....on purpose...but I can see how this problem was an attempt at cross curricular lessons)

[TabbyCat]

There is nothing offensive about the historically accurate question.

The ones earlier this year? Those were offensive.

This one?

It's just not an offensive question.

It's based in historical FACT. The facts aren't pretty, but neither is pretending they aren't what they are.

How is someone "culturally sensitive" if they skirt around the ugly things in history?

Is it ugly to ask questions about the number of Jews annihilated by Nazis? No...it's considered an historical fact, and asking the question highlights the magnitude of the atrocity.

[sugail]

I don't know, it just seems like it's making light of a horrible part of our history by putting it in a math word problem.

[jsbeagle]

I wonder if this question was written by someone from another minority group like the ones in Gwinnett

[jenilyn]

Slavery is a serious topic, The most shameful part of american history. IMO, It's not a topic should be used lightly. ever. Fact is, I am not black, my ancestors were not raped, beaten and traded like cattle. Therefore, I'm not in the position to tell others they shouldn't be offended.

This post has been edited by jenilyn: 21 March 2012 - 05:57 AM

[Oh No Its Me]

Riograce, on 20 March 2012 - 05:38 PM, said:

At least the question has some historical basis:

The Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787

Honest to God, some people are waaaay too quick to find offense. Maybe if Dad had done some research (since he obviously wasn't paying attention when *he* was in school), he would have realized that this was a perfectly legitimate question. Like it or not, slavery *happened* - it's a lot healthier to acknowledge it and learn everything we can about it so that future generations can accept as a matter of course how abhorrent it was and is.

I agree.
The last slavery homework question featured slaves being beaten. I could see some finding that offensive but this question seems well worded and tasteful

[Georgia Dawg]

Some people get upset when everyone else doesn't compartmentalize everything into individual silos like they do.
Heaven forbid someone use a geography example in a math word problem, or use science in a math word problem, or use math in a political delegate count problem...

Besides, the question didn't say that the Plantation was in the United States. Plantations exist in Africa, where slavery still exists.

[Riptides]

Here is a more up to date written word problem math test that seems to connect better with today's youth:

Quote

1. Felipo has a pair of Uzi 9mm Sub-machine Guns with 30-round clips. If he shoots up both clips per drive by and 6 out of every 10 rounds he fires misses, how many shots will he have scored in total after doing 5 drive-bys?

2. Tyrone just scored 1.5 kilos of cocaine. If he sells half a kilo to Jackson for $20k how much would that equal per gram? Based on the per gram price what would be the street value of the the cocaine be after doubling the weight of the remainder with cut and rocking it up?

3. A Pimp Named Slickback currently has three girls in his stable. If the going price is $60 per trick, and the girls can turn 2 tricks an hour how long will A Pimp Named Slickback have to wait on his girls before he can afford to pay for their $1800-per-day drug habit?

4. Vincent Vega has 10 grams of Pure China White he bought for $200 per gram. To ensure no one overdoses he has to cut it by 80%. How much cut would he need in total? And how much would he make selling it stepped on for $75 per half gram after keeping 2 grams uncut for himself?

5. Dartell steals cars, he gets $500 per Import, $300 per Domestic, plus a $200 bonus if they're a SUV or Full Size truck. If he has stolen 2 Honda Civics, an Escalade, a Corvette, and a Ford F250, and how much will he pocket at the end of the night?

6. While Vinny is in prison for 10 years on racketeering his outside Mafia connections earn him $500 for each month he serves. If per month he spends $175 on the prison store, $150 for protection and bribes, plus another $75 for his twice monthly conjugal, how much will he have saved up when he paroles out in 6 years?

7. If the average spray can covers 15 square feet and the average letter is .75 square feet, how many times can 22 students spray 2012YOLO if each has brought 4 cans of spray-paint?

8. If there are 36 guys in the East Side Locos chapter of the Los Locos Vatos Motorcycle Club, and if half of those guys are married and the chapter president has slept with one third of the married dudes old ladies. How many of those old ladies now have the clap?

9. LaQuonda can feed her 7 children for $5 per child per day, and assume the average month is 30 days. If she gets $300 a month welfare for each child how much will she have left over if she feeds her kids? If she stays clean how many more kids will she have to have to be able to afford a new $1500 a month house payment?

10. Moonbeam and Toejam get busted for growing 15 marijuana plants in their kids closet. The DEA estimates each plant to be equal to 5 pounds and the Court sentences them both to serve 1 month per estimated ounce, how much time will they be looking to serve altogether?

This post has been edited by Riptides: 21 March 2012 - 02:05 PM

[Riograce]

Riptides, on 21 March 2012 - 01:57 PM, said:

Here is a more up to date written word problem math test that seems to connect better with today's youth:

Thanks for the laugh!

[lowrider]

Riptides, on 21 March 2012 - 01:57 PM, said:

Here is a more up to date written word problem math test that seems to connect better with today's youth:

I do have a sense of humor!

[Mariposa]

Social Studies in elementary school is very neglected. Many times it is not taught in isolation and there is little or no time devoted just to that subject. The SS concepts are taught through reading, math, lang arts, etc The teams of teachers get together to design their lessons to support the standard that the students are to learn. Teaching that slavery happened or that there was something called the Three Fifths Compromise is not wrong, it is part of history. It would be wrong to NOT teach about it. Teachers combine different subject areas frequently to support other subjects.

For example: There is a Social Studies standard about the Holocaust
Reading: They read The Diary of Anne Frank
Lang Arts: They punctuate sentences and all of the sentences are about the Holocaust
Math: A problem may taught that includes the following info (I know these numbers are not historically correct but it is just an example)

Before the Holocaust there were 10 million Jews in Europe. Two thirds of all Jews in Europe were killed during the Holocaust. How many European Jews were killed?

This is a valid math question. It also helps the grasp the numbers of people who were killed an why the Holocaust was an important and tragic event in history.

It is wrong to NOT teach about the Holocaust just as it is wrong to NOT teach about slavery. They were both horrible, but it does not make anything better to ignore it as a part of history. Ignoring that it happened is so much worse than teaching about it.

[LPPT]

I think being barely 50 years past the civil rights movement and still dealing with voluntary segregation in many areas that the subject is still a serious one.
We still have cultural issues. We are not so far past this that it can be treated in a casual and off hand manner.

I am very sensitive to racial issues, probably because of were I grew up and seeing it first hand. I would have been very uncomfortable had my child brought that problem home.
This should only be brought up in an environment were kids can openly discuss and learn.
Too much, too soon and too fast, treating it casually as this does is wrong.
As long as people like myself are still alive and still remember, it will still hurt.

We have more reverence for the Holocaust victims than we do our fellow Americans that is truly a shame.

Mariposa, on 21 March 2012 - 06:59 PM, said:

Social Studies in elementary school is very neglected. Many times it is not taught in isolation and there is little or no time devoted just to that subject. The SS concepts are taught through reading, math, lang arts, etc The teams of teachers get together to design their lessons to support the standard that the students are to learn. Teaching that slavery happened or that there was something called the Three Fifths Compromise is not wrong, it is part of history. It would be wrong to NOT teach about it. Teachers combine different subject areas frequently to support other subjects.

For example: There is a Social Studies standard about the Holocaust
Reading: They read The Diary of Anne Frank
Lang Arts: They punctuate sentences and all of the sentences are about the Holocaust
Math: A problem may taught that includes the following info (I know these numbers are not historically correct but it is just an example)

Before the Holocaust there were 10 million Jews in Europe. Two thirds of all Jews in Europe were killed during the Holocaust. How many European Jews were killed?

This is a valid math question. It also helps the grasp the numbers of people who were killed an why the Holocaust was an important and tragic event in history.

It is wrong to NOT teach about the Holocaust just as it is wrong to NOT teach about slavery. They were both horrible, but it does not make anything better to ignore it as a part of history. Ignoring that it happened is so much worse than teaching about it.

I don't agree in teaching about the Holocaust in this way, it is irreverent to human suffering.

[jenilyn]

LPPT, on 21 March 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

I think being barely 50 years past the civil rights movement and still dealing with voluntary segregation in many areas that the subject is still a serious one.
We still have cultural issues. We are not so far past this that it can be treated in a casual and off hand manner.

I am very sensitive to racial issues, probably because of were I grew up and seeing it first hand. I would have been very uncomfortable had my child brought that problem home.
This should only be brought up in an environment were kids can openly discuss and learn.
Too much, too soon and too fast, treating it casually as this does is wrong.
As long as people like myself are still alive and still remember, it will still hurt.

We have more reverence for the Holocaust victims than we do our fellow Americans that is truly a shame.



I don't agree in teaching about the Holocaust in this way, it is irreverent to human suffering.

I agree. If my child is going to be taught about slavery I want her to be taught about it in a history class. I wonder if the kids given this math problem were ever taught what slavery really is, what actually happened? I'm thinking no. So, they are given this meaningless math problem (how many math problems were you given? how many do you remember specifically?) I'll bet none. There is no historical knowledge to be absorbed by a question like this. So this isn't a lesson on slavery, it's using slaves as an example to teach math. Two COMPLETELY unrelated things. If there is even a remote chance that someone will be offended my a MATH question, throw it out. That is my opinion.

[Mariposa]

LPPT, on 21 March 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

I think being barely 50 years past the civil rights movement and still dealing with voluntary segregation in many areas that the subject is still a serious one.
We still have cultural issues. We are not so far past this that it can be treated in a casual and off hand manner.

I am very sensitive to racial issues, probably because of were I grew up and seeing it first hand. I would have been very uncomfortable had my child brought that problem home.
This should only be brought up in an environment were kids can openly discuss and learn.
Too much, too soon and too fast, treating it casually as this does is wrong.
As long as people like myself are still alive and still remember, it will still hurt.

We have more reverence for the Holocaust victims than we do our fellow Americans that is truly a shame.



I don't agree in teaching about the Holocaust in this way, it is irreverent to human suffering.

I do understand what you're saying. The reality is that there is no time or very limited time allotted for Social Studies in elementary school, and the subject matter is supposed to be taught "across the curriculum." So how should elementary schools teach about sensitive issues?

I think the shock of it comes when those short statements are put into word problems on a math sheet and are taken out of the context of the entirety of what is being taught. They may be reading about it in Reading or Language Arts and there is more sensitive discussion going on, but someone outside of the class just sees that one math problem and not everything else that goes along with it. I know that in some elementary schools it is a requirement that teachers plan all of the lessons around a certain topic. Each subject has to reinforce that one topic. So, how in the world do you include slavery, segregation, or the Holocaust in a math lesson without seeming insensitive? Maybe they should just stop expecting teachers to include topics that have nothing to do with math into math lessons.

[Mariposa]

jenilyn, on 21 March 2012 - 08:05 PM, said:

I agree. If my child is going to be taught about slavery I want her to be taught about it in a history class. I wonder if the kids given this math problem were ever taught what slavery really is, what actually happened? I'm thinking no. So, they are given this meaningless math problem (how many math problems were you given? how many do you remember specifically?) I'll bet none. There is no historical knowledge to be absorbed by a question like this. So this isn't a lesson on slavery, it's using slaves as an example to teach math. Two COMPLETELY unrelated things. If there is even a remote chance that someone will be offended my a MATH question, throw it out. That is my opinion.

I agree there SHOULD be Social Studies in elementary school. Social Studies is at the bottom of the list of importance and in some situations, it is not taught at all on its own. It is ONLY taught through Reading or other lessons. If there is a time set aside just for Social Studies, it is not much.

Most likely, this math question was included to support what was being taught that day in all of the subject areas. It wasn't just a random question standing on its own.

[feelip]

Hell! 60

[2013HOG]

feelip, on 21 March 2012 - 08:25 PM, said:

Hell! 60

Thank you!Problem solved

[shoes116]

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I think very few people outside of teachers and administrators fully grasp the purpose of these types of questions and assignments, since they aren't slammed with 'cross-curricular professional learning' and demands to see cross-curricular lesson plans carried out in the classroom.

I know this has been said ad-nauseum, but it bears repeating. Administrators and county office personnel require teachers to work together on cross-curricular units. These questions are not standing totally on their own. In this classroom, as in the story a few months back, students were learning about slavery in SS. In order to reinforce what they learned, and to continue the thought process, teachers use the language of the SS GPS standard when creating math problems. It is very likely that the LA assignments also revolve around the concept and learning of slavery and its impacts. Taken out of context, as these parents going to the media are wont to do, the intention is missed.

What really pisses me off is that the very same administrators who push this cross-curricular concept and require it of their teachers are the same ones that threw their hands up and yelled, 'Not me!' when the teacher a few months ago was thrown under the bus for the slavery math question. You are just danged if you do and danged if you don't--there is no winning here.

[sugail]

Are elementary students too young to even be taught something as horrible as slavery in America and the Holocaust? Maybe it should be left until Middle School where there are separate history classes.

This post has been edited by sugail: 21 March 2012 - 08:50 PM