How Race and Racism Impact the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics

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Race and Racism Impact the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
Racism has long been a problem in the United States. There is always an ongoing conflict between White and Black. Everyone knows this division’s outcome: Whites are always superior, receiving opportunities and privileges, whereas Blacks are inferior, receiving fewer opportunities and rights. White people have dominated the country for centuries. These people are always preferred and favored. Sadly, despite having all the power and privilege, they continue to discriminate against Black people and further marginalize them. Meanwhile, while Whites may not discriminate against people now, some people believe they are still responsible for the discrimination that Blacks face. In comparison to Whites, Blacks have no equal opportunities. They are judged solely based on their skin color, verbally and physically abused, bullied, and undervalued. Furthermore, racial disparities occur in schools, which were supposed to be a haven for children to learn proper values. This paper will discuss how racism affects the teaching and learning process in the subject of Mathematics, as well as why the Critical Race Theory (CRT) is an appropriate lens for analyzing racial disparities.
Racism has negatively impacted Black people’s lives, whether they are adults, children, men, or women. It has had an impact not only on education but also on other aspects of their lives. For example, Black people’s health needs are not being met. In some cases, Black people mistrust health care because of poverty and racism in the healthcare system (Alang, 2019). In some instances, Blacks complain that they are not treated fairly. There are also cases where healthcare professionals refuse to provide services due to their race. As a result, incidents like these make Blacks distrust the healthcare system. Therefore, the lives of Blacks have been adversely affected in healthcare.
Furthermore, the racism that Blacks face has an impact on their careers. There are several instances where they are discriminated against by their employers, colleagues, or even the institution where they work. Employers prefer Whites because they appear to be more respectable, and they believe that Whites have completed better education. Moreover, employers trust whites more than blacks because there is a stereotype that blacks are untrustworthy criminals. Furthermore, the Blacks suffer from the treatment they receive from their colleagues. Some colleagues will not treat them fairly because of their skin color and will even bully them. Additionally, a company’s institutions and infrastructure may exhibit racism. For example, a company may use a biometrics system, but Blacks are not detected due to their color and appearance. Therefore, Blacks also face adversities in the workplace.
The preceding discussions demonstrate that Blacks face racism in various settings and situations; however, education is not insusceptible to racism. Schools must be places where students learn academic subjects and life lessons that will help them grow as people. Unfortunately, racism has an impact on the teaching and learning process, particularly in the subject of mathematics. Students have traditionally regarded mathematics as a complex subject. Most students have a negative attitude toward the subject because they view it negatively. Thus, the study of Mathematics subject and racism has affected the learning of Blacks.
White students are expected to outperform Black students (Gholson & Wilkes, 2017; Jones, 1990; Lerman, 2000; Tate, 1995a; Tate, 1995b). As a result of the assumption that Whites can comprehend more, the assessments made for Black students were less complicated than the exams given to whites. As a result of this concept, the materials designed for Blacks have become more straightforward and less complex. As a result, if they have low-quality learning materials, the learning they will receive and the quality of the education they will receive will be low. Thus, it is evident that racism has affected the education of Blacks.
Furthermore, there are few resources available for Black groups. When compared to other groups, Blacks receive fewer resources. As a result, fewer funds are available for Blacks to fund educational learning materials and activities that may improve students’ knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the structure of schools in Black communities requires improvement (Herbel-Eisenmann, 2013; Tate, 1995b). Students need a conducive environment in which to learn. For example, students require a well-lit room to view their learning materials. Students also require a classroom that is free of outside noise. Some rooms are located near places that may disrupt students’ learning, such as train stations, malls, or markets. Students require functional classrooms with ample facilities and equipment. They cannot sit at a school with no or broken chairs. These objects could endanger them rather than help them learn. All of the difficulties mentioned above may impede students’ learning. As a result, it is essential to provide a conducive learning environment.
Bullying is another issue that students may face in school while learning Mathematics. Bullying has negative consequences for the victim, which are interconnected. For example, a student who has been bullied may experience anxiety and stress. The situation will affect the student’s education; the student may receive low grades in school because they are unable to focus on the lesson and are preoccupied with the bullying incidents that are taking place. As a result of bullying, the student may be unable to participate in most activities. Furthermore, a student’s social skills will be affected; there have been cases where victims of bullying isolate themselves because they no longer want to encounter bullies and because no one stands up for and protects students like them. Thus, bullying is also another factor that may affect students’ learning of Mathematics.
Critical Race Theory (CRT) as Lens to Analyzing Racism
The central idea of the theory is race is just a social construct and that racism is not only the consequence of individual bias or prejudice but also ingrained in legal systems and policies. There has been a fine line between the privileges granted to specific groups of people, such as the Blacks, by government or private institutions. In addition, there have been more and worse sanctions for Blacks. For instance, Blacks are imprisoned at higher rates than any other racial group. Hence, the theory states that racism, whether intentional or unintentional, is due to American laws and institutions.
Scholars can use the CRT lens to examine the issue of racism in mathematics education. Since some laws and policies impact Black students, consider the case of George McLaurin. Despite being a black teacher, he was admitted to an all-white university, the University of Oklahoma. The university discriminated against McLaurin by providing a separate space for him to maintain and adhere to its all-white policies. McLaurin's access to education has been hampered due to this incident. Moreover, as in Sweatt’s case, the court decided to investigate not only the facilities but all aspe...