“Don’t sabotage the best and brightest:” Using Meritocracy Narratives to Create Barriers to Access in Math

• In Event: 21020 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 8: DEI Policies in Education

Abstract

What barriers stand in the way of progress toward equity in mathematics? In this paper, we use California's attempt to recommend detracking middle school math as a case study through which to better understand the narratives stakeholders use as they argue against equity efforts. Leveraging analysis of all 1,268 public comments made regarding California's proposal, we illustrate how commenters use meritocracy narratives to argue against the changes. Altogether, we find that commenters argue that math talent is innate, that detracking would actually be worse for equity, and that math tracking is actually a public good, in addition to a private good (e.g. Labaree 1997). These narratives paint a picture of the significant barriers that prevent equity initiatives from flourishing in schools.

Authors

• Jonathon Briones, Brown University

• Emily Handsman, Rutgers University-New Brunswick