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To: Scoutmaster

Sounds like those folks just have an

“anti-Eurocentric bias”.

Which, really, is simply an opposition to the predominance of the scripture-based Judaeo-Christian culture.


78 posted on 01/18/2012 6:01:14 AM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter knows whom he's working for)
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To: MrB
I Googled 'racist math.' I found the www.k12academics.com website, and its Anti-Racist Mathematics page. From the Context and Purpose:

"Anti-racist mathematics is a branch of education reform theory in countries such as the U.S. and the UK, which attempts to form an anti-bias curriculum in mathematics. It emphasizes the sociocultural context of mathematics education and suggests that the study of mathematics (as it is traditionally known in western societies) may exhibit racial or cultural bias. While 'anti-racist mathematics' and 'ethnomathematics' scholars share the assumption that any given mathematical understanding or practice is a product of a particular culture, the forms of their scholarship differ."

"Anti-racist mathematics is part of a larger social constructivist movement in which traditional Western or scientific world views were developed within the context of a Judeo–Christian Western culture or set of cultures. Anti-racist educators suggest that these assumptions are dominant because of the abuse of political power. Anti-racist mathematics is a general approach to mathematics education, trying to shift a field created by "dead white men" into what proponents see as a more multicultural context."

"Proponents find evidence in the findings of 20th century anthropology, philosophy and various social science disciplines. From this, they believe that the mental paradigms of individuals have a determinative effect on the way they interpret the origin and meaning of events and objects in the world around them.

I work with many black youth in Scouting, and youth of various other cultural backgrounds. Math doesn't figure into it frequently, but I don't need a multicultural context to teach. I show respect and an interest in the individual. Teaching is often done by older Scouts, but Assistant Scoutmaster and I often teach as well. After teaching is done in groups we deal with issues of Scouts on an individual basis, not a cultural basis. I know that would be hard to do in the classroom, but when I teach on an individual basis I rarely need to bring culture into it. Individuals are individuals.

80 posted on 01/18/2012 6:41:00 AM PST by Scoutmaster (You knew the job was dangerous when you took it)
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