“Algebra, Geometry Perpetuate Asian Privilege

This is from economist Mark J. Perry: 

 “Algebra, Geometry Perpetuate White Asian Privilege” is a slight variation of the title of a Campus Reform article, and here’s a slightly edited excerpt:

A math education professor at the University of Illinois argued in a newly published book that algebraic and geometry skills perpetuate “unearned privilege” among whites Asians.Rochelle Gutierrez, a professor at the University of Illinois, made the claim in a new anthology for math teachers, arguing that teachers must be aware of the “politics that mathematics brings” in society.

“On many levels, mathematics itself operates as Whiteness Asianness. Who gets credit for doing and developing mathematics, who is capable in mathematics, and who is seen as part of the mathematical community is generally viewed as White Asian” Gutierrez argued.

Further, she also worries that evaluations of math skills can perpetuate discrimination against minorities and whites, especially if they do worse than their white Asian counterparts.

MP: The chart of Math SAT test scores over time above would suggest that when it comes to math abilities and math privilege, it’s “Asian privilege” more than “white privilege” that Professor Gutierrez should we worried about. And it’s “getting worse” over time according to the increasing Asian-white gap displayed above.