‘Row over images of playing cards in Maths book unnecessary’

VELLORE: Two images of playing cards opened fanwise to explain probability theory in the Mathematics textbook for Class 6 have raised teachers hackles as they have stirred a needless controversy linking it to the online rummy game.

A cross section of teachers, who interacted with DT Next said, “there was no mention of the word rummy or any incentive to play cards in the subject matter, but a controversy has been needlessly created blaming the state government for its double standards on social media.”

The textbook is meant for the third term and hence, none of the schools had this text, which will be distributed to students only at the start of the term in January, a teacher said.

He said, “the government decided to have smaller books with syllabus meant for each term in an effort to reduce the daily backload of students.”

Another teacher said, “playing cards is the ideal model to explain the probability theory to students.” Asked if there were other methods to teach the same to students without playing cards, the teacher said, “we can give the example of dice or coins to explain probability theory, but it does not have the same result like in the case of playing cards.”

A woman teacher explained, “we have on some occasions even brought playing cards to the class to explain it better to students as probability theory is also part of syllabus for Class 10.”

Sources said that when the issue cropped up, the TN Textbook Society chairman wrote to the SCERT (State Council for Education, Research and Training) asking them to remove the images of cards from the Mathematics textbook for Class 6. “The books in question were printed some years ago before the online rummy controversy erupted. The next schedule of printing will ensure problem-free Mathematics textbooks,” sources said.