The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has deemed math proficiency tests for teachers “unconstitutional” due to “racial disparities.”
The court ruled that because non-white teachers are less likely to pass the math test, it should no longer be required.
As one social media commentator aptly pointed out, Ontario teachers no longer need to pass basic math in order to teach basic math.
As bad as your first-impression take on this might be, it’s actually even worse. Read closely: this math proficiency test isn’t for the students, it’s for THE TEACHERS. Your Ontario teacher no longer needs to pass basic math to teach basic math. pic.twitter.com/zuec7zo2yM
— Jeff B. is *BOX OFFICE POISON* (@EsotericCD) December 18, 2021
The Daily Caller reports that “schools in Ontario had previously offered candidates the opportunity to retake the test multiple times, but the court ruled that ‘racialized teacher candidates who have been disproportionately unsuccessful on the MPT should not have to keep retaking the test.'”
Obviously, as was pointed out in court, students learn more from teachers who understand the subject that they are teaching. However, the court ruled that it was more important to have diversity in the classroom.
“Racialized students benefit from being taught by racialized teachers,” the court decision stated. “The deleterious effects of the MPT on racialized teacher candidates who have been unsuccessful in the test outweighs its benefits.”
According to the Ottawa Citizen, “the test has 50 mathematics content questions and 21 questions about math pedagogy. The applicant has to score 70 per cent on both parts to pass.”
“Racialized teacher candidates have gone through an education system in which they have suffered discrimination and disadvantage,” the decision said. “The candidates are then required to take ‘high stakes’ standardized tests which the available data shows they are more likely to fail.”
