Don’t Go Off the Deep End

To the Editor:

My close friends know that I am seriously concerned about a number of social and political matters in the United States. I wish it were in my power to make a significant contribution toward real improvements. However, about all I can do is talk, and from time to time I am unable to keep silent about some such matter.

A recent idea in California is one. It has been proposed that the California Instructional Quality Commission should approve a proposed framework for mathematics instruction which states that “The concept of mathematics being unequivocally objective is false. … Upholding the idea that there are always right and wrong answers [falsely] perpetuates objectivity.” The main aim of the proposal is apparently bastardizing teaching of mathematics in public schools. Although that seems to be the objective, the justification or purpose of the effort remains a complete mystery to me. The only thing I can imagine is that some people are intent on demonstrating their social and political power, and believe that will be demonstrated if they can persuade others to adopt a proposal that is obviously completely ridiculous. Pythagoras, Aristotle, Newton, Einstein and John Glenn are spinning in their graves, along with a lot of other people. It is to be hoped that the many intelligent mathematics professors and teachers in California will deal properly with this nonsense.

This is just one horrible example of what can happen when people, overcome by the attractiveness of a political or social idea, or strongly motivated toward social or political power, in their enthusiasm lose all grip on reality. There are lots of worthwhile ideas and viewpoints, many of them conflicting, held by people with whose philosophy we may disagree. But we must all work vigorously against the complete abandonment of all logic and facts.

Arnold Romberg

La Grange