Why Florida Department Of Education Is Banning 41% Of New Math Textbooks
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To better understand what the issue is all about, specific examples of concern are needed. In the video below, you will find 4 examples involved in the recent math textbook bans in state of Florida, with one of the images provided by the Department of Education showing a math problem based on data that tests people on their level of racial prejudice, in the video published on April 22, 2022, “Florida Department of Education releases 4 examples of ‘prohibited content’ after 54 math textbooks“, below:
On the surface, these examples may seem harmless, but it is important to note comments made by Lee DeWitt, a math teacher in St. Johns County, in italics, “...inserting CRT (critical race theory) into a math curriculum is unnecessary. Math is an analytical process that presents multiple challenges to students. Adding in a societal or political issue won’t help. I don’t really see a need for that in public education…I should not have to be responsible for educating students on social matters. That is what they have parents for. So much is put on a teacher’s plate today, that these are things best left to discuss at home.” In summary, it is best to teach mathematical principles in math textbooks and to teach social theories in sociology textbooks, especially for students from k-5.
The reason that the American Experiment is so special or unique is that the Americans Founding Fathers have gifted us with “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The reason that we Americans are able to live harmoniously with our neighbors of different racial, religious, and various other backgrounds is because our educational system had deeply ingrained in all of us the belief in human equality and our U.S. Constitution had guaranteed each and every American these natural and unalienable rights in our U.S. Constitution. This is the core value that needs to be taught in our educational system if we want to continue our American Experiment.
The American Founders argued that people have rights regardless whether they are able to put them into practice. That is why they called these rights “natural”. They are part of what it means to be a human being. These rights could be denied or violated, but only under carefully limited circumstances could they rightfully be taken away. Governments were legitimate to the extent that they protected these rights. Governments that arbitrarily took these rights away possessed no moral authority. When the Founding Fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal,” they were not ignoring the obvious differences that make people individuals, differences in appearance, personality, aptitude, skills, and character. All men are equal in the sense that, since we are all human, we are born with certain inherent, natural, and unalienable rights. Those rights include “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” This essential equality means that no one is born with a natural right to rule over others without their consent, and that governments are obligated to apply the law equally to every one. Instead of teaching critical race theory during k-5, all schools in United States should teach or lay the foundation of the core value or principal belief of the American Experiment: that all human are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
The Florida Department of Education announced the state has rejected more than 50 math textbooks from next school year’s curriculum, citing references to critical race theory among reasons for the rejections, in the video published on April 18, 2022, “CNN reporter breaks down Florida math textbooks rejection“, below:
The Florida Department of Education provided examples of what it calls problematic elements in recently reviewed math textbooks, in the video published on April 22, 2022, “Florida releases excerpts from banned math books“, below:
Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez on the state’s Department of Education rejecting textbooks with critical race theory, in the video published on April 18, 2022, “Florida rejects math textbooks that contain critical race theory“, below:
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about banned textbooks, in the video published on April 18, 2022, “Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about banned textbooks“, below:
Florida rejects 41% of math textbooks for citing critical race theory, AriZona’s founder refuses to raise prices amid inflation, and a flight goes viral for its “Christian takeover.” in the video published on April 18, 2022, “Florida Bans Math Books for CRT & AriZona Iced Tea Remains 99 cents Despite inflation| The Daily Show“, below:
Mehdi Hasan: “Republicans love to complain about cancel culture, but they don’t actually have a problem with it. They just want to be the ones doing the canceling.” in the video published on April 18, 2022, “Woke Math? Florida Rejects Math Textbooks, Citing Critical Race Theory“, below:
John Oliver explains what critical race theory is, what it isn’t, and why we can expect to hear more about it in the coming months, in the video published on Feb 21, 2022, “Critical Race Theory: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)“, below:
In conclusion, I reiterate:
On the surface, those examples in those Florida math textbooks may seem harmless, but it is important to note comments made by Lee DeWitt, a math teacher in St. Johns County, in italics, “...inserting CRT (critical race theory) into a math curriculum is unnecessary. Math is an analytical process that presents multiple challenges to students. Adding in a societal or political issue won’t help. I don’t really see a need for that in public education…I should not have to be responsible for educating students on social matters. That is what they have parents for. So much is put on a teacher’s plate today, that these are things best left to discuss at home.” In summary, it is best to teach mathematical principles in math textbooks and to teach social theories in sociology textbooks, especially for students from k-5.
The reason that the American Experiment is so special or unique is that the Americans Founding Fathers have gifted us with “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The reason that we Americans are able to live harmoniously with our neighbors of different racial, religious, and various other backgrounds is because our educational system, for over 200 years, had deeply ingrained in all of us the belief in human equality and our U.S. Constitution had guaranteed each and every American these natural and unalienable rights in our U.S. Constitution. This is the core value that needs to be taught in our educational system if we want to continue our American Experiment.
The American Founders argued that people have rights regardless whether they are able to put them into practice. That is why they called these rights “natural”. They are part of what it means to be an American human being. These rights could be denied or violated, but only under carefully limited circumstances could they rightfully be taken away. Governments were legitimate to the extent that they protected these rights. Governments that arbitrarily took these rights away possessed no moral authority. When the Founding Fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal,” they were not ignoring the obvious differences that make people individuals, differences in appearance, personality, aptitude, skills, and character. All men are equal in the sense that, since we are all human, we are born with certain inherent, natural, and unalienable rights. Those rights include “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” This essential equality means that no one is born with a natural right to rule over others without their consent, and that governments are obligated to apply the law equally to every one. Instead of teaching critical race theory during k-5, all schools in United States should teach or lay the foundation of the core value or principal belief of the American Experiment: that all human are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
It is much better to show our children a vision of what a more ideal world can be rather than to drag them down with ugly aspects of harsh reality that would forever prevent them from thriving fully. Furthermore, without a vision of the American ideal, there would be more divisions among all Americans and fulfilling the dream of America’s enemies.
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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