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Newsweek reports that ISIS has announced a new curriculum banning the study of math for students in areas of Iraq and Syria it controls. Also banned will be the teaching of music, social studies (especially anything about elections or democracy), and sports. Books cannot include any reference to evolution and teachers must say that the laws of physics and chemistry "are due to Allah's rules and laws." Students will instead learn all about "belonging to Islam," and how to "denounce infidelity and infidels." Teachers who break the rules "will be punished," according to fliers posted in ISIS-controlled territory.
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The Islamic State Bans Teaching Math to Students
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The worst part of valor is indiscretion.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by geb on Thursday September 18 2014, @09:46AM
I'm not sure I believe this. I'd want to see a better source before I accept the claim about mathematics being banned.
Music does go against radical interpretations of Islam, and I can understand why believers in a creator god would dislike the teaching of evolution. For somebody who believes in Sharia, democracy might be seen as a dangerous challenge to the perfect set of laws. I can even understand wanting to attach the phrase "because Allah said so" onto every physical law.
But mathematics? Seriously?
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @09:50AM
democracy is basically mob rule... there's nothing fair about it, particularly if you're part of a minority
distant future generations will look back on our feeble existence and laugh
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @10:08AM
Yeah, that does seem stupid.
"Hello, I would like to buy one of those for two silver, and one of those for three silver. Here's the three silver I owe you".
"Hold it, that's five silver in total".
"Oh really? I disagree"
"Two plus three equals five".
"Oh, math... Burn the heretic".
... goes to the next seller at the market ...
"Hello, I would like to buy one of those for five silver and one of those for ten silver. Here's you three silver".
And no beautiful palaces either, with neither PI, right angles nor triangles.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @10:36AM
Or:
"They cannot shoot at us much longer. They only have twenty shots, and I've counted fifteen which they already fired. So they only can fire five more shots."
"How did you get this number?"
"Well, it's simple math ... oh, shit ... aaargh!"
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Thursday September 18 2014, @04:22PM
And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once at the number three, being the third number to be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it."
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @10:30AM
Mathematics is logical thinking. They quite obviously don't want to teach the ability to think. After all, people might try to use that skill on other subjects than expressions and shapes.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MrGuy on Thursday September 18 2014, @02:49PM
TFA claims teaching ANY math is banned. Any at all.
It also claims that any teaching of the rules of physics are required to state that they are "due to Allah's rules and laws."
How the heck are you teaching physics without math? Once you get beyond "see, gravity!" there's not much to teach without using SOME amount of math.
Personally, I welcome a terrorist society that's decided it can make due without the ability to do any kind of logisticial or resource planing. Good luck getting your limited foodstuffs where they need to go without running any numbers!
(Score: 2) by SlimmPickens on Thursday September 18 2014, @06:14PM
methinks if you can see gravity you can do a whole lot without math ;)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 18 2014, @03:31PM
> I'm not sure I believe this. I'd want to see a better source before I accept the claim about mathematics being banned.
It is newsweek. When they were still in print they were just one step above tabloid news.