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'It's Rude!': 4th-Grader Refuses To Answer Math Homework Problem About Girls' Weights

MURRAY, Utah (CBS Local) -- The mother of a Utah fourth-grader said she was "shocked" by a math problem included in her daughter's homework assignment, which she says sheds light on young girls' body image.

Naomi Pacheco said her 9-year-old daughter, Rhythm, refused to answer a math question that compared the weights of three fourth grade girls.

"I thought it was offensive," Rhythm, who attends Grant Elementary School in Murray, told KSTU. "I didn't like that because girls shouldn't be comparing each other. I know it was a math problem but I don't think that was really OK."

The math problem reads: "The table to the right shows the weight of three Grade 4 students. How much heavier is Isabel than the lightest student?"

"I was shocked, honestly," Pacheco said. "I feel like it's such an irresponsible way to teach children how to do math."

Pacheco said her daughter decided not to answer the question and circled it.

"She wrote, 'What! This is offensive! Sorry I won't write this it's rude!'" Pacheco said.

The math problem is part of a Common Core math curriculum, provided to Murray City School District by Eureka Math.

Chad Colby, Eureka Math's director of marketing communications, said he doesn't believe there's any reason to remove the question from the curriculum.

"There is no value judgment in the question about weight, it's merely a comparison," he said.

 

 

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