Re: Censorship? or Common sense??

Phil Mahler (mahlerp@ADMIN.MCC.MASS.EDU)
Mon, 16 Sep 1996 06:35:19 EDT

A list member writes
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I wish to agree with Larry. To the degree that someone will take
offense to the question, they will also be owning their mathematics. I
like that. We must never be afraid to provoke thoughtful discourse
about social issues in our classes.
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I agree with this statement completely. But the question posted is on a test,
not in a class. Unless this issue was raised in class, and that's not at all
clear, the content will put some students off. That's not fair, on a test of
mathematics.

Perhaps the reader used classes to include testing. Even in that case,
I still say, raise it in class, but not on a test, unless, possibly,
the social issue was also raised in the class.

Phil Mahler
Middlesex CC
Bedford, MA