Thread by @nhannahjones

A course that helps students use math in a practical way to examine a complex issue impacting society? I didn't know about this addition to the 1619education.org curriculum but it's awesome! Now @DailyMail carefree attitude abt facts? Not so much. dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1…

Shall we?

First, @DailyMail called the #1619Project a "controversial activist organization." What? The 1619 Project is a work of journalism. There literally is no 1619 Project organization. There is the NYT that published it, and Pulitzer Center that makes curriculum.

@DailyMail says 1000s "of high schoolers are set to learn a radical new 'reparations math' curriculum that teaches how slavery 'led to a wealth gap for African Americans'" but then admits "It is not yet clear where the new curriculum would be taught." Ever consider reporting?

@DailyMail claims that "A 2020 report by Real Clear Investigations found that 1619 courses had been adopted in over 3,500 classrooms across all 50 states." Real Clear did not *find* this in some investigation, the Pulitzer Center released this info. We're not hiding anything!

"Over a four-week course, students will cover a series of objectives aiming to answer the 'essential question' of the curriculum: 'Should reparations be paid for the United States’ use of enslaved labor? If so, what is the basis of those payments?'" How is this bad?

It does not say students will be forced to learn why reparations are owed, but instead asks them to study the question, find and weight evidence, and come up with an answer -- the quest seems to be a great example of how a classical education works, no?

@DailyMail continues: "Students are also asked to analyze news media's reception to the idea of reparations, and how different payment methods would work in practice." Seems like exactly the type of critical thinking we want students to bring to analyzing complex social issues.

"American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Ian Rowe, hitting out at the course for pushing divisive ideas on children.'Students taking Reparations Math learn no opposing viewpoints,' he said." I would love to see his evidence of what has been taught in this brand-new class.

How does an alleged journalist write an entire article without reaching out to a single person involved in the curriculum? Because actual reporting helps you not make silly mistakes, like not seeing this unit was created by a cohort group in a single city. 1619education.org/builder/lesson…

And, my favorite, find two people whom you know will offer a negative comment about 1619 Project no matter what the questions are, and then claim that there is widespread outrage and condemnation. *1619 Project "slammed" by the one person I interviewed.*