Purpose: To confront and address systemic racism in math education by rethinking traditional instructional practices, promoting equitable classroom structures, and empowering all students—particularly Black, Latinx, and Indigenous learners—with mathematical agency and identity.
Background and Foundation
This framework emerged from equity-driven organizations like The Education Trust-West and The Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction. It offers critical guidance for educators and leaders who seek to:
- Unpack white supremacy culture in math classrooms.
- Disrupt power imbalances in teacher-student relationships.
- Promote antiracist pedagogy in curriculum and assessment.
Core Beliefs
- Mathematics is not neutral.
Traditional math instruction can reinforce dominant power structures and exclude historically marginalized groups. - Student identities matter.
Culturally responsive teaching must recognize and celebrate the diverse lived experiences students bring to mathematics. - Instruction should foster belonging and agency.
All students should see themselves as competent doers and creators of mathematics.
Key Areas of Focus
| Area | Antiracist Shift |
|---|---|
| Math as a Gatekeeper | Challenge tracking, high-stakes testing, and remedial labeling |
| “Right Answers” Culture | Value process, reasoning, and multiple pathways to solutions |
| Pacing Pressure | Prioritize deep conceptual understanding over coverage |
| Participation Norms | Diversify voices, encourage collaboration, and rethink what counts as “engaged” |
| Assessment Practices | Use formative, performance-based, and student-reflective assessments |
| Teacher Authority | Shift from control to co-construction of knowledge |
| Curriculum Content | Include real-world, social justice, and community-based math problems |
Strategies for Teachers
- Use Culturally Responsive Math Tasks
- Connect math to students’ lives, culture, and community issues.
- De-center Teacher Voice
- Facilitate student-led discussions, peer collaboration, and inquiry-based learning.
- Value Mistakes and Struggle
- Normalize productive struggle as part of the learning process.
- Reflect on Biases
- Engage in self-reflection about grading, discipline, and perceptions of ability.
- Elevate Student Agency
- Let students co-create rubrics, explain their thinking, and critique math’s role in society.
Tools and Resources
- Reflection Guides for educators
- Sample math tasks incorporating social justice topics
- Equity audit rubrics for classroom and school structures
- Professional learning communities focused on antiracist math teaching
Call to Action
Educators must move beyond inclusion toward transformation—not just bringing more students into existing structures, but changing the structures themselves. This involves:
- Centering student voices
- Disrupting oppressive norms
- Building collective responsibility for equity
