Mathematics Education and Social Justice: A Conversation with Danny Martin
Abstract
Danny Martin is a professor of Education and Mathematics and University of Illinois Chicago. His groundbreaking scholarship on the mathematics socialization of African Americans has led to seminal pieces on the roles of race, identity, and mathematics education for Black children that critically inform current dialogues about mathematics education and social justice. His work inspires many scholars, teacher educators and teachers working to transform mathematical experiences of young people, especially those historically marginalized in schools. We have known each other for 20 years and have co-authored a book together. He is my friend and colleague, someone I continue to learn with and from in the fight for an equitable and just
mathematics education for our nation’s youth. He sat down with me to discuss mathematics education from a lens of social justice. Our conversation expresses evolving views of the mathematics education landscape including why social justice in mathematics education is so important yet challenging; and, what solutions we can radically reimagine as we try to move forward to create the kind of just and humanizing mathematics education we want.