Math + Social Equality ≠ No Access

Last week was somewhat anxiety-ridden while also being awakened...  I have been teaching myself not to obsess about something that may or may not happen. Until something bad happens, nothing bad has happened. While I have been reinforcing the lesson this past week, my agenda book was ignored and neglected. Spicy Italian Sausage & Basil Rigatoni and salad had been pushed around the agenda book for a few days and replaced with take-outs and hot dogs until I saw that the basil was withering. 

In the past, I would've been guilt-ridden and panicking for not following the agenda book, but this "be kind to myself" mindset is working. I'm learning to be flexible with myself on matters that don't matter much, and be okay with being lazy on certain days. 

While going off the agenda book, I have been keeping certain routines that have helped me stabilize. One of them is my morning routine... Brewing French-pressed coffee, four sun salutations, and sipping and reading the news before I start my day. It triggers me to think of things that are actually happening in the world rather than creating false narratives where I am being damaged. 

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Early last week, Newsweek's Opinion - California is planning to 'de-mathematize math.' It will hurt the vulnerable most of all caught my attention during my morning routine reads. California's proposed math curriculum framework is set with good intentions, to bring social equality to all students. The opinion focuses on how the new framework discourages placing students in accelerated courses and gifted programs, partly because of the racial gap in gifted students. According to the op-ed, 32% of Asian students were in gifted programs compared to 8% of white students, 4% of Black students, and 3% of Latinx students from 2004 to 2014. 

Private tutoring was illegal when I lived in South Korea many moons ago. The law intended to keep academic competition fair among students, so every student would have the same opportunity to succeed regardless of their social-economic status. It failed because those who could afford private tutors suddenly had new uncles and aunties... That is what we called them when we talked about our tutors. Taking away gifted programs won't impact the students with wealthy parents. Their parents will find paid programs to support and advance them in math. This will hurt, and I agree with Monica Osborne, already disadvantaged students. 

Social equality is very important, but will we be achieving that by further limiting access to  accelerated courses and gifted programs? The gifted programs are critical for students who have limited resources. The Racial gap in the gifted programs can be attributed to a lack of access to accelerated courses and gifted programs at public schools in disadvantaged areas, where they even lack basic resources readily available at schools in wealthy areas. 

Equality shouldn't come at the price of zero access. Equality happens when it is accessible to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, and social-economics. It is easy to take something away and say that no one will have it. It is hard work to ensure that everyone has access and no one is left out. If we are serious about social equality, then we must do the work for equal access rather than no access.