Teacher resigns after 'slavery' math problems fallout

[SandEagle]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/slavery-math-problems-pro_n_1214028.html

"Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"

"If Frederick got two beatings each day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"


INAT (i'm not a teacher), but i think the requirements to get a teaching license in this country should include a psychiatric eval. this teacher sounds like a regular poster on PN, OT. How could he possibly have thought this was a good idea?




The answer to the first question is probably 7, but i think it can also be 56, right?

 

[Q]

Hahahaha, that's so bad, but kind of funny

 

[qliveur]

How the fuck could anyone think that this is a good idea?

 

[0roo0roo]

pretty sure deon cole from conan did a bit on this..or was the test based on his bit...

 

[Rage187]

Yeah, I read this when this first made the news. WTF were they thinking?

 

[0roo0roo]

http://studiosixty.tumblr.com/post/15789637454/one-of-the-best-things-to-come-out-of-the

 

[T_Yamamoto]

thats like boondocks and how the white teacher was trying to explain the difference between awesome dude and ******

 

[Gothgar]

"Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"

"If Frederick got two beatings each day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"

Easy answers.

1. Not enough, beat the slaves extra.

2. Not enough beatings, beat them some more.

 

[SandEagle]

http://studiosixty.tumblr.com/post/15789637454/one-of-the-best-things-to-come-out-of-the

lmfao. thanks man, that was great.

 

[dighn]

trolling in the class room, terrible idea.

 

[Rage187]

Reminds me of the racist field trip

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...pI3UAg&usg=AFQjCNE2sPNxblQEUWg9PURwn7dziG9rfQ

 

[Herr Kutz]

No color/race is mentioned. I don't see the problem.

 

[Newbian]

I wonder how outdated those text books were to still use that term .

 

[JulesMaximus]

No color/race is mentioned. I don't see the problem.

You don't see the problem?

<--Hands Herr Klutz a mirror.

 

[her209]

How did I know this was a school in "the South"?

 

[khon]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole thing is ridiculous ?

It's not like the questions in any way promoted slavery. They simply refered to things that did in fact happen during slavery, like regular beatings or forced labor in fruit plantations.

Have we gotten to the point where even mentioning an uncomfortable truth is a problem ?

 

[her209]

Am I the only one who thinks this whole thing is ridiculous ?

It's not like the questions in any way promoted slavery. They simply refered to things that did in fact happen during slavery, like regular beatings or forced labor in fruit plantations.

Have we gotten to the point where even mentioning an uncomfortable truth is a problem ?

Its one thing to mention it in a historical context. Its another thing to put it into a math problem. Imagine if a German teacher had a math problem about Jews and gas chambers.

 

[Joseph F]

Its one thing to mention it in a historical context. Its another thing to put it into a math problem. Imagine if a German teacher had a math problem about Jews and gas chambers.

That would be some fucking EPIC trolling.

 

[LTC8K6]

I wonder why we don't know the race of the teacher?

 

[DaTT]

Reminds me of the racist field trip

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...pI3UAg&usg=AFQjCNE2sPNxblQEUWg9PURwn7dziG9rfQ

That never gets old...

 

[edro]

While it doesn't mention or infer race, there is absolutely NO place for "slave" or "beatings" in a math problem.
You can pick ANY story you want for the math problem. Why would you pick something that has a major negative connotation?

 

[LTC8K6]

While it doesn't mention or infer race, there is absolutely NO place for "slave" or "beatings" in a math problem.
You can pick ANY story you want for the math problem. Why would you pick something that has a major negative connotation?

The inference is that white teachers made up the questions, which might not be the case, given the stated reasons for the wording.

 

[disappoint]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/slavery-math-problems-pro_n_1214028.html

"Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight slaves pick them equally, then how much would each slave pick?"

"If Frederick got two beatings each day, how many beatings did he get in one week?"


INAT (i'm not a teacher), but i think the requirements to get a teaching license in this country should include a psychiatric eval. this teacher sounds like a regular poster on PN, OT. How could he possibly have thought this was a good idea?




The answer to the first question is probably 7, but i think it can also be 56, right?

Having doubts about a 3rd grade math question? lol

7t where t is the number of trees. Considering it's 3rd grade math though yes they are probably looking for just 7.

 

[waggy]

Reminds me of the racist field trip

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...pI3UAg&usg=AFQjCNE2sPNxblQEUWg9PURwn7dziG9rfQ

wow.

that's the most fucked up thing i have heard in a while. the guy is funny though heh.

 

[Linflas]

How did I know this was a school in "the South"?

How did I know you would be one of the ones that would spew something like this while remaining totally ignorant of the school and its demographics?

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32827362&postcount=62