Math Teacher Stands Up To "Antiracism"

[mahagonny]

And Bari Weiss is not going anywhere.

Discuss if you wish. Scroll past if you wish.
https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/i-refuse-to-stand-by-while-my-students

[jimbogumbo]

I read the essay yesterday. It sounds like a horrible environment to teach in, and I wouldn't send my children there.

[Parasaurolophus]

Anyone who gives any shits about free speech knows that Bari Weiss is a blithering idiot who's spent her entire adult life trying to get people fired for their extramural free speech. She also has a terrible record when it comes to distorting the truth, and what people who disagree with her say.

As for the essay... there's a lot of telling and not much showing, virtually no context, no evidence, it's full of lopsided descriptions I wouldn't trust, it throws the word 'philosophy' around an awful lot (and inappropriately), and this "mathematics teacher" apparently teaches "the art of persuasion".

Given those givens, I would not trust the claims being made. I'd leave them out to cure in a barrel of salt for a while first.

[marshwiggle]

Anyone who gives any shits about free speech knows that Bari Weiss is a blithering idiot who's spent her entire adult life trying to get people fired for their extramural free speech. She also has a terrible record when it comes to distorting the truth, and what people who disagree with her say.

As for the essay... there's a lot of telling and not much showing, virtually no context, no evidence, it's full of lopsided descriptions I wouldn't trust, it throws the word 'philosophy' around an awful lot (and inappropriately), and this "mathematics teacher" apparently teaches "the art of persuasion".

Given those givens, I would not trust the claims being made. I'd leave them out to cure in a barrel of salt for a while first.

If it is legit, he'll be fired within a week or two. Whether that happens will definitively support or refute the claims.

[jimbogumbo]

Anyone who gives any shits about free speech knows that Bari Weiss is a blithering idiot who's spent her entire adult life trying to get people fired for their extramural free speech. She also has a terrible record when it comes to distorting the truth, and what people who disagree with her say.

As for the essay... there's a lot of telling and not much showing, virtually no context, no evidence, it's full of lopsided descriptions I wouldn't trust, it throws the word 'philosophy' around an awful lot (and inappropriately), and this "mathematics teacher" apparently teaches "the art of persuasion".

Given those givens, I would not trust the claims being made. I'd leave them out to cure in a barrel of salt for a while first.

Agree completely with paragraph the first. I generally struggle with how I respond to essays like this, as I've experienced completely legitimate (and the opposite) accounts first hand.

[mahagonny]

Googling around, there's more. From the 'Statement on Inclusive Language Guide' on their website:

"The controversy surrounding the Grace Church School Inclusive Language Guide for faculty and staff is based on false information. Some news accounts incorrectly reported that the guide was for students and that we banned the use of words such as "mom" and "dad" as politically incorrect. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We provided the Inclusive Language Guide to faculty and staff last September as one of many initiatives to combat racism and promote the most welcoming and respectful learning environment possible for the entire community. The guide was not issued as a mandatory policy or included in curricula or student instruction, and it was never intended for student use. We should have been more explicit about the guide's intent and purpose: a tool for professional development and adult continuing education to help our faculty and staff foster a culture of sensitivity and inclusivity in interactions with our students."

So the controversy didn't start just now with the author and his conversations with frightened students. And I guess we won't get to see the Inclusive Language Guide, as it's...hmm, are they saying they no longer stand by its content or are they saying something else? I guess damage control is tough to navigate.

[Parasaurolophus]

They stand by its content. It was a guide, and didn't represent any kind of requirement or mandatory code of conduct.

[mahagonny]

Here it is: https://pdfhost.io/v/MSUTbDaqD_GCS_Inclusive_Language_Guide_21pdf.pdf

I did find one or two interesting things. One, you get to identify your own race. Two, black people are to be referred to as 'people of color.' Whereas, I don't think they necessarily speak for everyone. For example, I don't mind if you refer to me as 'that colored gentleman, professor Mahagonny.'

They stand by its content. It was a guide, and didn't represent any kind of requirement or mandatory code of conduct.

Well, it's certainly heavy duty pressure to conform to a new set of rules. I wonder how they see the origin of it as representing some kind of consensus among stakeholders? Was that ever even brought up?

[mahagonny]

Funny, I thought there might be more interest in this thread topic, considering its relevance to free speech and other concerns. Speaking for myself, I worry that people who want to control how you talk also want to control how you think. Mass conformity.

Well, maybe this will stir the soup. I am interested in what people think about this.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/insight/2021/03/21/The-miseducation-of-America-s-elites-Bari-Weiss/stories/202103210008

https://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2021/3/23/keeping-up-with-the-times-if-schools-nix-mom-and-dad-is-mainstream-journalism-next

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-york-city-teacher-antiracism-training-indoctrination

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2021/03/12/nyc-school-defends-guide-asking-students-avoid-saying-mom-dad/4668994001/

As posted above, the Statement says the guide was not meant for students. But it's available on the website. So that's confusing. Not to mention, if teachers avoid saying 'mom and dad' and other common phrases why wouldn't students ask why?

The school's reponse plays down the importance of the controversy they are causing. They are clearly backpedaling. These are the same type of people who claim to want 'difficult conversations.'  Let's clear the air! What is being done here, and what is expected of everyone? If the publication was a mistake, there is always the option of apologizing.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9474795/Principal-NYC-private-school-disappointed-teachers-expose.html

Bari Weiss is a blithering idiot who's spent her entire adult life trying to get people fired for their extramural free speech. She also has a terrible record when it comes to distorting the truth, and what people who disagree with her say.

Given those givens, I would not trust the claims being made. I'd leave them out to cure in a barrel of salt for a while first.

Agree completely with paragraph the first. I generally struggle with how I respond to essays like this, as I've experienced completely legitimate (and the opposite) accounts first hand.

So a couple of guys on the internet say Bari Weiss is not reliable, Do you have examples, or is your PhD enough?

[pgher]

As far as not using mom-and-dad, I can get behind that. Mr. Rogers pioneered that sort of thing decades ago:
https://kottke.org/18/06/freddish-the-special-language-mister-rogers-used-when-talking-to-children

Inclusive language matters, especially as family structures change.

[Kron3007]

As far as not using mom-and-dad, I can get behind that. Mr. Rogers pioneered that sort of thing decades ago:
https://kottke.org/18/06/freddish-the-special-language-mister-rogers-used-when-talking-to-children

Inclusive language matters, especially as family structures change.

Yeah,me too.  I can see the potential issue of always refering to mom and dad for children that do not have them.  I wouldn't agree with mandating language, but I don't think that is actually what is going on.  This seems more like the "attack" on Christmas that has apparently been going on for decades.

It does seem to be catching on though.  I have school age children and we noticed a while ago that teachers in our public school system generally do not use mom or dad, they have been asking out kids about their adults.  We thought it was nice.

[marshwiggle]

As far as not using mom-and-dad, I can get behind that. Mr. Rogers pioneered that sort of thing decades ago:
https://kottke.org/18/06/freddish-the-special-language-mister-rogers-used-when-talking-to-children

Inclusive language matters, especially as family structures change.

Yeah,me too.  I can see the potential issue of always refering to mom and dad for children that do not have them.  I wouldn't agree with mandating language, but I don't think that is actually what is going on.  This seems more like the "attack" on Christmas that has apparently been going on for decades.

My dad died before I started school. I was never traumatized by teachers (or anyone else) referring to "dads". My wife died when my kids were young, and they were never traumatized by teachers (or anyone else) referring to "moms".

Children are aware when their home situation is uncommon, but as long as they have a loving family, they're not going to be damaged by reminders (which are everywhere) of what is more common. Kids who from chaotic family situations, regardless of whether they look "normal", are going to be much more fragile no matter what language is used.

[jimbogumbo]

Bari Weiss is a blithering idiot who's spent her entire adult life trying to get people fired for their extramural free speech. She also has a terrible record when it comes to distorting the truth, and what people who disagree with her say.

Given those givens, I would not trust the claims being made. I'd leave them out to cure in a barrel of salt for a while first.

Agree completely with paragraph the first. I generally struggle with how I respond to essays like this, as I've experienced completely legitimate (and the opposite) accounts first hand.

So a couple of guys on the internet say Bari Weiss is not reliable, Do you have examples, or is your PhD enough?

https://mondoweiss.net/2020/07/bari-weiss-leaves-the-nyt-and-thats-bad-for-zionists/

[mahagonny]

https://mondoweiss.net/2020/07/bari-weiss-leaves-the-nyt-and-thats-bad-for-zionists/

Their head butting is about the tension in the Middle East. Old stuff.

This is a hoot:

"The Times op-ed page is surely making moves to the left these days in the context of the George Floyd uprisings..."

Half of the editorials from the NYT that I'm able to see these days (I admit I don't subscribe) could be summarized by 'police shoot black people whenever they feel like it for fun and The USA, except for us, thinks it's just fine' and a lot of ink and time could be saved.
Or the other thunderclap-of-melodrama variety, almost always part of a data-less editorial: 'we haven't yet begun to expose the depth of white-against-black racism in the USA.'

on edit:

As far as not using mom-and-dad, I can get behind that. Mr. Rogers pioneered that sort of thing decades ago:
https://kottke.org/18/06/freddish-the-special-language-mister-rogers-used-when-talking-to-children

Inclusive language matters, especially as family structures change.

Yeah,me too.  I can see the potential issue of always refering to mom and dad for children that do not have them.  I wouldn't agree with mandating language, but I don't think that is actually what is going on.  This seems more like the "attack" on Christmas that has apparently been going on for decades.

It does seem to be catching on though.  I have school age children and we noticed a while ago that teachers in our public school system generally do not use mom or dad, they have been asking out kids about their adults.  We thought it was nice.

I get it. Young children who have something other than one mom and one dad at home need to be able to feel that there is nothing strange about them. At the same time, I recall Mr. Rogers as trying to supply things that were missing. He wasn't much on telling other people how to raise their children, that I'm aware of. I might not have minded if he had done a little more of that. We could sure use him today. One great thing he did was to fill a void with music appreciation. (Of course, how can you expect music appreciation training from adults who never acquired any of their own?)
But kids at this school (Grace) are not pre-school age. They can handle the fact that many families have a mom and a dad, even if theirs doesn't.

My dad died before I started school. I was never traumatized by teachers (or anyone else) referring to "dads". My wife died when my kids were young, and they were never traumatized by teachers (or anyone else) referring to "moms".

Children are aware when their home situation is uncommon, but as long as they have a loving family, they're not going to be damaged by reminders (which are everywhere) of what is more common. Kids who from chaotic family situations, regardless of whether they look "normal", are going to be much more fragile no matter what language is used.

The 'mom, pop and kids' scenario has a special place in out collective consciousness. And why not? Whatever else good that may be said about it, it's how the human race perpetuates.

[Parasaurolophus]

So a couple of guys on the internet say Bari Weiss is not reliable, Do you have examples, or is your PhD enough?

I don't have the time to write you an essay. Happily, others have, so I'll let them do it for me. 1 2 3 4 5 6

And if you aren't familiar with her attempts to "cancel" people, then you haven't been reading her columns (granted: why would you? It's a waste of everyone's time, even yours). There's been a long list of people she thinks ought to be "cancelled" (including several since she resigned from the NYT because she's a Free Speech Worrier^TM!), but two of her largest and most effective contributions were probably to trying to get several Middle East studies scholars at Columbia fired, notably Joseph Massad, and to trying to secure a tenure denial at Barnard College for Nadia Abu El-Haj.