Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some • Hacker News Board

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#31

Post by FunnyLookinHat » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:25 PM UTC

muhehe wrote: post #4

Can someone simply explain what is this critical race theory?

I like this definition.

> Simply put, critical race theory states that U.S. social institutions (e.g., the criminal justice system, education system, labor market, housing market, and healthcare system) are laced with racism embedded in laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that lead to differential outcomes by race.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2021/07/02/why-are-sta...

Put another way, it's allowing the possibility that systems themselves can be racist.

However, I think you will find that the definition is heavily swayed by your political bent (especially if you are a politician).

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#32

Post by usrn » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:26 PM UTC

capableweb wrote: post #10

I can understand rejecting them for "failed to meet curriculum standards", but what does "incorporate prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies" really mean? Are there math topics and "stategies" that are illegal in the US/Florida somehow? I also understand that including critical race theory in math books seems wildly irrelevant (unless I miss something) and therefor not fit for the curriculum. But I'm interested…

A couple years ago including "intersection of race, society, and law" in math books was the hot new thing (a lot of "black people can't empathize with the names in the math book" etc.) Articles about it even showed up here IIRC.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#33

Post by vmception » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:26 PM UTC

muhehe wrote: post #4

Can someone simply explain what is this critical race theory?

basically anybody extending Black History month beyond 28 days and reminding people that black history is US history and that it doesn’t make sense to have any race-history months if US history was taught more accurately. (It includes other heritages too, Black American community is just more organized to more effectively spearhead representation pushes.)

Conservatives news sources spend alot of air time on the idea of this happening than reality. The general idea is that they don’t like unpleasant history for their children, that they preemptively call revisionist. This has now become a boogeyman in conservative leaning states and affecting real world things.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#34

Post by civilized » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:26 PM UTC

chmod600 wrote: post #26

With so little information it's not clear what we can discuss.

Agreed. It seems useless and brain cell-killing to be subjected to the hot takes from each side's chattering class, without access to the exact books and passages that led to these bans.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#35

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:26 PM UTC

gizajob wrote: post #27

foxyv wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Talking about anyone other than White people. In all actuality it is the idea that race doesn't exist, it's just something made up by people to exploit other people with different skin color. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_race_theory#Tenets

Yes. Race doesn't exist, which is why we need affirmative action.

[deleted]

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#36

Post by jaywalk » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:26 PM UTC

fuzzer37 wrote: post #25

capableweb wrote: post #10

I can understand rejecting them for "failed to meet curriculum standards", but what does "incorporate prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies" really mean? Are there math topics and "stategies" that are illegal in the US/Florida somehow? I also understand that including critical race theory in math books seems wildly irrelevant (unless I miss something) and therefor not fit for the curriculum. But I'm interested…

> Who includes education about "intersection of race, society, and law" in mathematical books, for what purpose? That's the thing, they don't. And this is all a farce to line the pockets of some publisher in bed with some lawmakers.

I understand we don't have any evidence supporting Florida's claim, but you don't have any evidence supporting what you said either. I'm inclined to believe Florida until shown otherwise.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#37

Post by zahma » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:27 PM UTC

areoform wrote: post #21

Such news stories add credence to the idea that the web + social media have been a universal solvent for societies. Especially democratic societies. Three decades ago, such a move would have been an eyebrow raising 2 to 5 minute news story on the evening news. Or, mentioned in a tiny column in the newspaper on some page. Most people wouldn't have come into contact with it. Let alone with such vigor that it led to an…

Well said, and this feedback loop you refer to fits into the “culture wars” narrative that prepossesses many news establishments as they vie for eyeballs to reinforce their ad revenue and bolster their Twitter feeds. Some of this stuff is click bait, but other stories take on lives or their own whereas they would ordinarily be forgotten about shortly after arrival.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#38

Post by spacemanmatt » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:27 PM UTC

tmountain wrote: post #29

Floridian here. I've lived here all my life, and DeSantis is the first Governor under whom I have felt that the entire agenda is piss off people who aren't politically aligned with his values. Not a week goes by without some inflammatory new policy making it into the news cycle, and it saddens me because Florida has a ton of problems that we could be collaborating on legislatively, but instead, it's just partisan bri…

Texan, here. I know exactly what you mean.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#39

Post by Clubber » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:27 PM UTC

muhehe wrote: post #4

Can someone simply explain what is this critical race theory?

I don't know much about it but it sounds like a topic designed to get the citizenry to bicker at each other about so they don't come together on much more important issues like economic, tax policy and justice reform. News has been trying to get it to stick for a while now.

Re: Florida rejects 54 math books, claiming critical race theory appeared in some

#40

Post by netsharc » Mon, Apr 18, 2022, 2:27 PM UTC

muhehe wrote: post #4

Can someone simply explain what is this critical race theory?

I think it's a study of how race relations affect just more than how people perceive others, it also affects things like big governmental policies. IMO it's like studying how lack of water lead to more than thirst, it causes things like kidney and other organ failure; meanwhile the people who are against the theory seem to think "it's just thirst!".