Re: [MATHEDCC] Endless bad press

Jack Rotman (rotman@ALPHA.LANSING.CC.MI.US)
Tue, 07 Oct 1997 08:15:42 -0400

Geoffrey Akst (akst@idt.net) wrote:
>
> About half an hour ago, I innocently turned on the TV waiting for
> the 6 pm news. Something called _Full Hous_e was on Channel 11 here in New
> York -- apparently a teen sit-com. Around the restaurant table, one guy
> says: "Does anyone know anything about Advanced Algebra?" A young woman
> responds: "I know enough not to take it!" Laughter on the sound track...
>
> If any of us had a nickel for every anti-math joke that we hear in
> society at large, our salaries might be more respectable! What can we do
> about this? How important is it to do something?
>
It is quite important to do something, though I don't know what the
"something" is. The problem Geoffrey points out is large.

For example, last week I heard a radio commercial for a sale at a local
mall. Their major theme? "You don't have to solve a word problem to
save money at ________."

In another case, our local newspaper did an article on our College's
developmental programs. In the article, our College President was
quoted as saying:
"I'd hate to have to take an algebra test right now."
This comment was offensive to many of my colleagues.

Does anybody have ideas on what the profession's response to this type
of "math bashing" should be??
(I doubt if we could use the boycott method, and throwing a fit probably
won't be too effective.)

Thanks.
Jack

-- 
        <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<   from    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
        Jack Rotman                   phone (517)483-1079
        Math Professor        ROTMAN@ALPHA.LANSING.CC.MI.US
        Lansing Community College             Lansing, MI
        "Like all art & science, mathematics surrounds us."
        <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  Math Success !  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
        dept web page http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/sas/mathsci
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