Should schools in America teach Arabic Numerals as part of their curriculum?

[kdonnel]

It was hard to tell that, honestly.

Does this help?

 

[cabanafrau]

I will. It's hardly a big jump.

I'm slow, walk me through the logic that leads to a 100-percent racist basis behind the idea it's not vital knowledge that every student must know.

 

[jrmasm]

I'm slow, walk me through the logic that leads to a 100-percent racist basis behind the idea it's not vital knowledge that every student must know.

It's probably not 100% because some people are just dumb.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I'm slow, walk me through the logic that leads to a 100-percent racist basis behind the idea it's not vital knowledge that every student must know.

The poll didn't ask if they thought it should be taught that the numerals are Arabic, it simply asked if we should teach Arabic numerals in school. So yeah, it's pretty clear there is some triggering of bigotry involved.

 

[Floridaman999]

It's probably not 100% because some people are just dumb.

I think I'd go with lack of knowledge over racism with this one. I'm sure they're were some quick reflex responses from some, but I believe a true lack of knowledge and information would be the reason for most of the "no" votes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The irony that I see is that generally today, people are criticized for "living in the past". The relevancy of this is questionable - as others have said, there's only so much room in cirriculums today; "teaching to the test" and all that. Although it's very likely it was taught somewhere along the line, it probably wasn't the primary focus of those lessons.

Not too long ago I was cleaning out some of my kids' early school papers and in going through them, there was a lot there I didn't remember them doing. I teach people myself, and I know what I teach, and document it, as well, yet when I see them again, it's often clear the lessons didn't sink in.

 

[hopemax]

Those of us on the DIS know we need to thank the Phoenicians for the alphabet, so maybe Disney needs to insert a bit about numbers into the "First backup system" / Jewish and Arab scholars section of Spaceship Earth.

But yeah, I'm guessing that a more than an insignificant number of people, if pressed further, would say that this is America, and we need to teach English numbers in school not Arabic ones. Whether that's from ignorance or racial triggering I'll leave it another site.

 

[siren0119]

I'm not going to just jump to the racism excuse for every single person who said no because some media outlets have this poll that "proves" it.

There are definitely people who just don't know what Arabic numerals are, or misunderstand the question (as a PP had stated).

BUUUUT there is a vocal quantity of humanity that hears the word "Arabic" and doesn't go any further than that before making judgement.

My friend is a Dean at a charter school in Boston. They had a world cultures day last month, which happened to include Arabic cultural elements (a decent percentage of kids in this school are from Arab countries). A woman armed with her cell phone, came to the school to video the "horrible" things they were doing ("teaching Islam" I think was one of her statements) to American students. It was a vitriolic, hate filled racist rant.

yes that was one woman. Her, I could dismiss. But when she posted the video rant on facebook, and made it public, what really disturbed me were the THOUSANDS of comments on the video cheering her on. Perhaps some of those were trolls who wanted to poke the bear. But you'd be hard pressed to convince me that MOST of the hateful comments made were from people who didn't actually believe what they were typing.

 

[soccerdad72]

As one of the 'No' votes (which I owned up to in my first post) - honestly, the phrase sounded familiar to me, but I wasn't 100% sure what it was, so, for whatever reason, I voted no. Then I looked at the article (following the OP's directions ) and realized my oops. Call me racist or stupid, I'm ok with it either way.

 

[L&Lfan]

Absolutely, I could see most of the rationale behind a “no” answer would go this way.... Don’t kids have enough trouble learning math using English numbers? Why teach them Arabic ones?

 

[kaytieeldr]

No no MCMXVIII times no!!!

MCMXVIII?? Where did you come up with that number?

 

[RedAngie]

The thread title alone was enough to immediately know what the topic would be.

Will not provide spoilers but I read a similar article and was horrified by the ignorance of so many Americans.

I recall something similar soon after 9/11 with the same results.

Quickie poll at my office. III out of V respondents said no to Arabic numerals. None of those III could define what a "numeral" is.

 

[kimblebee]

I believe that no would have been higher had the cat not already been let out of the bag so to speak.

I guarantee you are 100% correct.

I think I'd go with lack of knowledge over racism with this one. I'm sure they're were some quick reflex responses from some, but I believe a true lack of knowledge and information would be the reason for most of the "no" votes.

Do you think there would be the same percentage numbers if, hypothetically, you were asked the same question but substituted Chinese numerals instead?

 

[cabanafrau]

The poll didn't ask if they thought it should be taught that the numerals are Arabic, it simply asked if we should teach Arabic numerals in school. So yeah, it's pretty clear there is some triggering of bigotry involved.

Or it could be both that they do not understand what Arabic numbers are AND do not think that there's a need to teach yet another set of numbers in a very crowded curriculum. Without knowing the basis of their answer definitively it's not appropriate for someone else to simply assign the basis based on assumption.

 

[Floridaman999]

I guarantee you are 100% correct.



Do you think there would be the same percentage numbers if, hypothetically, you were asked the same question but substituted Chinese numerals instead?

I honestly don't know, but I do believe the fact that Arabic numerals was the term used certainly gave more to the 'no' category automatically. I don't think it's the ONLY reason, but I do believe it's the quick, reflexive reason for someone with a lack of knowledge of the subject in some cases.

 

[Hikergirl]

There are definitely people who just don't know what Arabic numerals are, or misunderstand the question (as a PP had stated).

BUUUUT there is a vocal quantity of humanity that hears the word "Arabic" and doesn't go any further than that before making judgement.

My friend is a Dean at a charter school in Boston. They had a world cultures day last month, which happened to include Arabic cultural elements (a decent percentage of kids in this school are from Arab countries). A woman armed with her cell phone, came to the school to video the "horrible" things they were doing ("teaching Islam" I think was one of her statements) to American students. It was a vitriolic, hate filled racist rant.

yes that was one woman. Her, I could dismiss. But when she posted the video rant on facebook, and made it public, what really disturbed me were the THOUSANDS of comments on the video cheering her on. Perhaps some of those were trolls who wanted to poke the bear. But you'd be hard pressed to convince me that MOST of the hateful comments made were from people who didn't actually believe what they were typing.

Nobody is denying there are hate filled racists out there, however this particular poll in no way proves that all those who answered "no" did it because they are racists, which is what the pp was alluding to.

 

[cabanafrau]

As one of the 'No' votes (which I owned up to in my first post) - honestly, the phrase sounded familiar to me, but I wasn't 100% sure what it was, so, for whatever reason, I voted no. Then I looked at the article (following the OP's directions ) and realized my oops. Call me racist or stupid, I'm ok with it either way.

I'd let you come and sit on the stupid folks bench with me, but be warned you'll just be labeled racist by the cool kids who are so much smarter they know why other people have an opinion -- even without any evidence to support their "knowledge".

 

[cabanafrau]

I honestly don't know, but I do believe the fact that Arabic numerals was the term used certainly gave more to the 'no' category automatically. I don't think it's the ONLY reason, but I do believe it's the quick, reflexive reason for someone with a lack of knowledge of the subject in some cases.

Nope, I'm assured, 100-percent no less, racism is the only reason to say no.

 

[Floridaman999]

I'll be over here on the fence questioning the quality of education I've received in my life.

 

[Magical2017]

Children should know the history of where mathematics and language originated. Root words are extremely helpful when learning the metric system, as well as learning the meaning of words for geometric shapes, so why NOT teach where these numerals that we use on a daily basis originated?