CMC’s Commitment to Anti-Racism

CMC believes in the mathematics potential of all students, but belief is not enough. As a community, we must actively engage in brave and courageous conversations about anti-racism and commit to anti-racist practices, pedagogies, and work. We need to deepen our awareness of students’ experiences and leverage trauma-informed practices to support the complete development of each and every young person. In order for CMC to strive towards its mission, schools must be places that are safe for all students. This means rooting out all forms of institutional violence, particularly those policies that, whether by intent or practice, inflict disproportionate harm on any group.  

Read Full Statement and Resources 

As mathematics educators, we can: 

  • Work on ourselves. Engage in self-reflection about our beliefs, practices, and biases. Recognize that this is a growth area for all of us.

  • Listen empathetically. Start conversations with others to deepen our understanding by learning about others’ perspectives and experiences. 

  • Support allyship. For those who are allies, be prepared and educated to engage in and facilitate uncomfortable conversations about race and racism in classrooms, in workspaces, and in your social circles.

  • Know that each student has strengths. Focus on highlighting the strengths each student comes to us with, while supporting new strengths to emerge.

  • Be an advocate. Interrupt and disrupt situations that compromise the humanity of another person, especially students. 

  • Empower students. Use mathematics as a way to examine and bring light to inequities and empower students to be part of the discourse. 

  • Remove barriers. Ensure that the opportunities for all children are amplified, not diminished by school, and in particular, mathematics. Create safe and brave spaces where students can be their best selves. 

Book Study

If you missed our book study on Rehumanizing Mathematics for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx Students, we encourage you to use the resources below.

Introduction: The Need to Rehumanize Mathematics
Author: Rochele Gutiérrez
Discussion Questions

Ch. 1: Toward Indigenous Making and Sharing: Implications for Mathematics Learning
Authors: Filiberto Barajas-López and Megan Bang 
Discussion Questions

ISTEAM (Indigenous Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics)
Spokane Tribal Lifeways Curriculum

Ch. 2: Girls STEM Institute: Transforming and Empowering Black Girls in Mathematics through STEM
Authors: Crystal Hill Morton and Demetrice Smith-Mutegi 
Discussion Questions 
Author's Slides

Ch. 3: Shades of Blackness: Rehumanizing Mathematics Education through an Understanding of Sub-Saharan African Immigrants.
Discussion Questions
Author's Slides
Ch. 4: We Fear No Number: Humanizing Mathematics Teaching and Learning for Black Girls  
Authors: Nicole M. Joseph and Norman V. Alston 
Discussion Questions
Ch. 5: Every Penny Counts: Promoting Community Engagement to Engage Students in Mathematical Modeling,  
Authors: Jennifer Suh, Lauren Britton, Kristen Burke, Kathleen Matson, Linda Ferguson, Spencer Jamieson, and Padmanabhan Seshaiyer
Discussion Questions
Author's Slides
Ch. 6: “We Don’t Think of It in Terms of Math, It’s Just the Way of Life,”  
Authors: Bev Caswell, Jason Jones, Marjolaine LaPointe, and Tracy Kabatay
Discussion Questions
Author's Slides
Ch. 7: Mathequity Hours: Fostering Wholeness in a Mathematics Learning Community
Authors: Aris Winger, Michael Young, Idris Stovall, Sarah Sword, Eden Badertscher, Miriam Gates, Una MacDowell, and Al Cuoco
Discussion Questions

Ch. 8: Centering Students’ Mathematical Agency at Northwest Indian College
Authors: Zachariah Bunton, Cassandra Cook, and Matteo Tamburini
Discussion Questions

Ch. 9: “I Can Solve All the Problems”: Latinx Students (Re)Write Their Math Stories
Author: Melissa Adams
Discussion Questions

Ch. 10: ¿Es lo Mismo? Bilingual Children Counting and Making Sense of Numbers,  
Authors: Cristina Valencia Mazzanti and Martha Allexsaht-Snider 
Discussion Questions
Author's Slides

Ch. 11: Listening to and Learning with Black Teachers of Mathematics
Authors: Toya Jones Frank, Deena Khalil, Beyunka Scates, and Symone Odoms 
Discussion Questions
Author's Slides
Concluding Thoughts  
Author: Imani Goffney 
Discussion Questions

Order your book: https://tinyurl.com/rehumanize

Download the book study guide Part 1.

Download the book study guide Part 2

Thank you for joining us as we work to put our Commitment to Anti-racism statement into action! Together we can make a difference. Invite your colleagues to join us as well.

Supporting our Words with Actions

  • Mathematician Monday - Learn about the beauty of diverse mathematicians and their work. Thank you Dr. Kristopher J. Childs, @DrKChilds, for sharing your work! 

  • Wednesday Reflections - As we work to become anti-racist educators, we must first work on ourselves and then consider what we can do individually, within our classrooms and schools, and within the larger educational system to create safe and rehumanizing mathematics experiences for all students.

  • Math Stories - Coming Soon

Together, we can make a difference. To do so, we each need to consider the following questions: How will I engage in this work personally, in my classroom, in my community, and as a member of my school and district? How can I help CMC as an organization continue to grow?

We invite you to join the Twitter community of mathematics educators (#mtbos, #iteachmath) or join us on Facebook to engage in conversations about actions we can take to make positive changes. Include #cmcmath and @CAMathCouncil so that we can continue to grow together as a community and as an organization. Please feel free to reach out with additional Ideas or resources, [email protected].