Mayim Bialik

Might as well go for Controversy Week on the blog, eh?

I like Mayim Bialik as an actor, totally think she improves Big Bang Theory, and think she has obvious science chops. I personally get pretty geared up about the immunization "controversy" (which I only think is a controversy in the same way as the climate change "controversy"), and was disappointed over her Science Friday brouhaha about immunization.

Then I got a promo from NCTM giving her top billing at a meeting.

I wrote:

To: NCTM Summing Up
Cc: NCTM
Subject: Re: NCTM Summing Up: June 5, 2012

Do you all know that Mayim Bialik is a supporter of the anti-immunization movement? Pretty disastrous for teachers, should she have her way. I don't think we as an organization should be legitimizing her as science-related, let alone promoting her. This was in the news recently because of her appearance on Science Friday.

-John Golden

The NCTM was nice enough to write back...

Mr. Golden,

I am sending the attached letter on behalf of NCTM President Linda Gojak, who is copied on this message, in response to your message below about Mayim Bialik.

Regards,
Ken Krehbiel
Associate Executive Director for Communications

Hmmm. So I wrote back,

Thanks for addressing this and for responding. I understand the tensions involved.

I do think there's a difference between having a Ph. D. and qualification in math ed. For example, the many Ph. D.s in mathematics who support Mathematically Correct would probably not be advertised by the NCTM in promotional materials.

May I share this letter with others?

Thanks,
John Golden

To which they quickly replied:

Hi John

Thank you for your thoughts.

Actually Mayim has been doing some work in mathematics education with a supportive stance on the importance of mathematics as fundamental to the foundation needed in STEM areas.

I think her message around mathematics is important as we move forward. Her personal stances on personal issues are exactly that...personal

I think the CCSSM provides us the opportunity to work together from a variety of viewpoints to work together to do what is best for our students. So it is no longer a divide between mathematically correct or not correct, rather it is about what prepares our students with multiples options in the workforce.

You can share the letter as you see appropriate.

Regards,

Linda Gojak
Nctm president

I'm very happy to be part of a group that attends to its members thoughts, and I do understand that decisions are not going to be by consensus most of the time.  I don't want uniformity, relish diversity, and think I'm probably being over-sensitive here because of how I feel about immunization.

What do you think? Would you put her on stage at your conference?