Math Pop Quiz Stumps Teacher Union Head

Daily News ^ | December 28 | Erin Einhorn

[achilles2000]

Math pop quiz stumps Randi

BY ERIN EINHORN DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Talk about a high-stakes test. The radio audience was live and the question for teachers union president Randi Weingarten involved sixth-grade math: "What's 1/3rd plus 1/4th?"...

Mike Pesca, who was filling in for Lehrer, introduced the show's education topic by saying American college grads can't do basic math while high school grads in Canada and middle-schoolers in India have no trouble.

After Weingarten stumbled, another guest quickly produced the correct answer: 7/12ths, leaving Weingarten to explain herself.

[achilles2000]

Thought everyone might be interested in knowing a little more about the type of people who have been chosen to lead our highly trained unionized education professionals..My 9 year-old can do that problem in his head - and a lot more. Weingarten is representative of what our $600 billion/year government education disaster is buying. BTW, Weingarten was featured in Stossel's Stupid in America program. She may be a math illiterate, but she crow-barred a lot of money out of the NYC school board and schools chief, Joel Klein.

[leda]

you're not stumped, are ya? ;)

[nmh]

BTTT!

And teachers report to this MORON?

[freedomfiter2]

Thought everyone might be interested in knowing a little more about the type of people who have been chosen to lead our highly trained unionized education professionals..My 9 year-old can do that problem in his head - and a lot more. Weingarten is representative of what our $600 billion/year government education disaster is buying. BTW, Weingarten was featured in Stossel's Stupid in America program. She may be a math illiterate, but she crow-barred a lot of money out of the NYC school board and schools chief, Joel Klein.


It's all on a need to know basis. You don't need to know basic math to extort billions from tax payers.

[pissant]

the idiots running the NEA are commie stooges with no concept how to teach children. They are too stupid.

[Clara Lou]

Well, no, teachers don't "report" to this moron.

[Dallas59]

I can't "do" math either.

[asp1]

In response to a question about the quality of education, didn't the brilliant Ms. Weingartner say, "...I'll start worrying about the kids when they can vote in the (union), elections." Or something to that affect?

[achilles2000]

Actually, this is the more "intellectual union", the American Federation of Teachers (about 50% the size of the NEA).

[Mr. Mojo]

After Weingarten stumbled, another guest quickly produced the correct answer: 7/12ths, leaving Weingarten to explain herself. "I do it the old-fashioned way," she said. "You take your paper, your pen, you add it up and get the fractional whatever."

lol...."the fractional whatever"?

Even if one doesn't know the answer by memory it's quite easy to add these two particular fractions the old-fashioned way in one's head.

[King Moonracer]

"Senator Kennedy, Whats 1/3rd plus 1/4th?"

"WHAT! I never use a mixer...Pass the Chivas.

[Enterprise]

""What's 1/3rd plus 1/4th?"... "

Replied Weingarten: "Well, it depends on what the 1/3rd and 1/4th are composed of. For instance, maybe it is 1/3rd of a pie, and 1/4th of a can of Rockstar. Obviously, it gets very complicated from there."

[achilles2000]

But Kennedy is really good at adding fifths...hic

[achilles2000]

I think that was Bob Chase of the NEA, but I am not entirely positive. Someone here has a link to the information, I'm sure (I would like ot have it).

[The Drowning Witch]

In all honesty, I don't remember how to add fractions like that either

[achilles2000]

Another victim of the new math, perhaps? I was one of the experimented upon children for that and Chomsky's Transformational Grammar. It was easier overcoming the math deficit than the grammar deficit ;-)

[secretagent]

First you have to find a dominator.

[EyeGuy]

"Replied Weingarten: "Well, it depends on what the 1/3rd and 1/4th are composed of. For instance, maybe it is 1/3rd of a pie, and 1/4th of a can of Rockstar. Obviously, it gets very complicated from there." "


Just, wow.

She'd make a fine obfuscating attorney though, wouldn't she?

[MHGinTN]

The amounts were too small for the factoring ... woman only thinks in millions and billions.

[Clara Lou]

Well, if you aren't called on to do it very often, it's not surprising that you'd forget.
This incident is a 2-edged sword. The bashers are so anxious to bash the person in the article that they don't stop to think about who they are unintentionally bashing [like fellow conservatives, for instance].