Thursday, May 5, 2011

Ohio teachers union urging members to integrate unionism and progressive politics into math class

The Buckeye Institute has put up a copy of the Ohio Education Association's monthly newsletter, and it has to be seen to be believed. (The link also points to their most recent analysis of Senate Bill 5, which is also a must-read.)

They come right out and say, "it's essential that they not only become teacher unionists, but teachers of unionism. We need to create a generation of students who support teachers and the movements of teachers for their rights."

Really, OEA? What about creating a generation of students that isn't failing math, reading and science?

Speaking of math, the OEA believes that even mathematics should have their progressive views included in the lesson. Math! They encourage Ohio teachers to teach "Radical Math". I wish I was making this up, but I'm not.

They actually lament that the math textbooks out there...I can't even believe I'm typing this...aren't political enough!!
Good math isn't the same as good politics!
There are several good math textbooks (although there is much debate over which these are) that have great ideas about group work and skill development, and are set inside larger contextual problems, but have nothing political in their material.
Good politics isn't the same as good math!
It's easy to think that a unit or lesson is a great one just because it covers important issues.

The article actually continues with a new section, "How to integrate social justice into a math class." How best to accomplish this? Take a look at some of their suggestions.
One good way to design a project or unit is by partnering with a community-based organization and do a project on their behalf. For example, find a group that wants to learn about how the community feels about an important community issue (ie. pollution, police presence, affordable housing). Your class could survey the community and present the results to the organization.

...

Identify the math concept/skill you want to teach, and download this chart to think about social issues that could help students understand this skill.

...

A larger question students should be asking is: "What are the problems my community is facing, and how can I use math to understand and address them?" But more specifically, pick a question that will guide the math and give focus to the unit. For example: "Which neighborhoods in our city have the highest rates of incarcerated youth, and what can we determine about the economic and demographic make-up of these communities?" or "Does race play a factor in who is getting mortgage loans in our city?". The question should have both a mathematically and social component to it.

Unbelievable.

The OEA also encourages teachers to use a website with 10 year old children that "aims to inform children (grades 4-7) on current news and world events from a progressive perspective and to inspire a passion for social justice and learning." What sort of educational stories do they have for your kids?

How about "Bush Wanted Abroad"? Or here's a good one. Global Warming Causes Snow.

My favorite story that the OEA thinks is appropriate for teachers to indoctrinate our children with? Free Bradley Manning.

The teacher's unions are engaged in the wholesale destruction of our education system. When you hear the always depressing statistics of how poorly our public schools perform in the world, now you know the main reason why. It's because the teacher unions are solely interested in their own power and their own extreme left-wing politics.



Remember these math lessons that the OEA wants to push on your kids the next time you see a teacher at a protest holding a sign that falsely claims "IT'S ABOUT THE CHILDREN!"

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8 comments:

  1. So, I'm confused. Teachers shouldn't show children how to use math to solve real problems in our society? Or teachers should only use math to solve problems that are not deemed liberal? Can you how me a list of appropriate topics so that I know what I should or should not teach? Thanks.

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  2. There ya have it folks. A defender of radical math. And they're teaching your kids.

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  3. I have lost ALL respect for ALL teachers....I suppose some don't buy into the radical socialist/communist crap that has become American education but frankly most do and the the ones that don't are just quietly going along to keep their so called jobs...so either way zero respect for this pack of greedy jackels!

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  4. Dear Anonymous,

    The letter explicitly says that "solving real problems in our society" is NOT acceptable to them unless those problems are sufficiently political. The blogger is not objecting to the inclusion of deluded liberal opinions prima facie; on the contrary, it's important to be exposed to nonsense in order to recognize it as such. What is objectionable is the concerted determination to exclude any other point of view, a practice analagous to Pavlovian conditioning. It's important to CONTRAST nonsense in order to recognize it as such. Teachers should have higher aspirations, or at least some form of conscience, that would preclude training students to mindlessly bark on command and calling it "education." THAT is the issue. READING IS FUNDAMENTAL. Work on your comprehension skills, taught to you by quality teachers such as those who wrote the sentence:

    "The question should have both a mathematically and social component to it."

    Beyond that, not every parent is on board with these Orwellian "Social Justice" cult belief systems. They should have a choice in the matter, and they do so when the school board sets the curriculum. Teachers should NOT deviate from it on a whim to appease some overpaid union boss's craving for ever more money and power.

    Kinda scary that some people actually need this explained to them. Kinda shows you how exactly good our liberal education system is at turning out critical thinkers...

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  5. Can someone post a link to the April 2011 newsletter from the OEA (Ohio Education Association) called School Choice that contained this information? I am having great difficulty finding the original article. Thanks.

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  6. Here is the link to Buckeye Institute's scan of the newsletter

    http://tiny.cc/jd31c

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