EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116
Chaska, MN
55318
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
E-mail
January 31. 2001
Math Madness in St. Paul
Legislators are hearing only one side of the math curriculum story, and it is not the side of parents, teachers and school districts who are struggling with this math madness. Last Tuesday and Thursday there were joint Minnesota House Hearings with two committees: House Higher Education Finance, chaired by Rep. Peggy Leppik, and House Education Policy, chaired by Rep. Harry Mares. The testimonies of the ten people who were featured were dog and pony shows to promote nothing but the Profile of Learning-style, integrated math curriculum.
These "informational hearings" are giving legislators biased, one-sided presentations and testimonies!
Some legislators suggested other perspective needed to be heard. but no expert witnesses were called! The deck is stacked.
For 3 minutes on Thursday morning there was a breath of fresh air in the three hours of testimony. Dr. Lawrence Gray, a full professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Minnesota School of Mathematics, slipped in to testify (thanks to a faithful grassroots supporter and the quick thinking of Rep. Mark Olson).
Dr. Gray had time to just state his qualifications and to indicate that he represented many other colleagues, teachers and parents who had grave and legitimate concerns about "new" math curricula (like "Core Plus," recently rejected in Austin, MN and now under fire in Roseville. See our article "Core plus program will be abandoned") Dr. Gray had only minutes, but he handed out a two page testimony.
But what is a two-page testimony and a 3-minute oral explanation from one expert? We have many excellent witnesses waiting for the chance to come forward for public testimony. "We've already given a lot of time to the issue," is the response to requests for testimony. No more time is allotted to math curriculum. No more hearings are scheduled. No parent input. No testimony from school districts who have questioned this fuzzy math, such as Roseville, Rochester, Albertville, Austin, to name a few.
That means, of course, that no time has been given to those who have differing views. Rep. Leppik suggested to one parent that she might want to write out her complaint and send it to her.
People can be calling Rep. Leppik and Rep. Mares. Be respectful. But legislators need to hear the other side of the new math story, not as personal letters alone, but as public testimony on an equal footing with those who are promoting this radical, new system of education.
Committee Chair on House Higher Education Finance,
Rep. Peggy Leppik: 651-296-7026Committee Chair on House Education Policy,
Rep. Harry Mares: 651-296-5363