Read on Twitter
For me, this attack is not the afterthought but the starting point. It was hard to differentiate between the mobs. It wasn't about mathematics, but sure as hell was loaded sexism & racism, not to mention vitriol. These attacks can be terrifying to those on the receiving end. https://twitter.com/z_cress/status/1283228415991185411
Debating whether math is created or discovered is of interest (to me, and I'm guessing others too), but that's not what this was. The sparks of actual conversation (there were some) were interesting. I'm thinking of some of my dialogue with @hotdogontology & @matthematician
My talk is abt how math is used, how we think about math, and how we organize our systems of education. I can't think about it separate from humans and social systems (I know, the pineapples...). There is math to be created (& discovered) everywhere, that is a sideline debate IMO
In today's particular political context, the mobbing of our friends & colleagues by the likes of Infowars et al -- especially of teachers, but also math ed grad students or faculty -- demands our solidarity. That's what one could see in all of this.
The fact that the alt-right jumped on this to galvanize their minions itself is significant. Shouldn't one be introspective about this very convergence? (and why this "objectivity" movement is so overwhelmingly supported by WM?)
It is a kind of "which side are you on" moment. Only I don't really believe that for (math) teachers there is a viable second option, other than social justice, other than Black lives mattering. My goal for math ed is that ppl learn to use mathematics as a liberatory force, AND
for ppl to push back against the myriad ways that math is used by others to uphold and fortify white supremacy & patriarchal domination
