California Math Teacher Investigated Over Sexist, Fat-Phobic Quiz Questions
A veteran mathematics instructor at a prestigious California high school is currently under formal investigation after distributing examination materials containing blatantly sexist and fat-phobic content to his students. Tom Chan, who has taught at Lowell High School in San Francisco for more than two decades, has been placed on administrative leave following multiple complaints regarding his inappropriate quiz questions.
Offensive Examination Content
According to reports from the San Francisco Chronicle, Chan presented students with mathematical problems that promoted harmful stereotypes about women's weight and dating expenses. One particularly egregious question stated: 'The amount of money you spend on a date varies inversely to how much they weigh. A typical girl that weighs 120lbs will cost you $55... How much would you expect to pay for a date with Ashley, who is 220lbs?'
Another section of the same quiz asked ninth-grade Algebra students: 'If you can only afford $5, how much would your date weigh and what is his/her name?' These questions not only contained overtly sexist assumptions but also encouraged students to engage in weight-based discrimination through mathematical calculations.
Additional Inappropriate Content
The investigation has revealed further concerning material within Chan's teaching materials. Another question reportedly contained fat-phobic language and described violence toward children: 'The fat kid from last time wouldn’t be quiet about the candy I was eating in front of him, so I punted him up into the air,' the question stated, followed by: 'When was the last time you gave candy to a fat kid?'
Chan also reportedly asked students personal questions including 'how tall are you and how much do you weigh' and 'pick one: pretty or smart, and why?' These inquiries raised significant concerns about appropriate student-teacher boundaries and classroom environment standards.
Student and Parent Concerns
An anonymous parent told The Chronicle that families and students had been reluctant to report Chan's behavior due to fears of retaliation or potential refusal to write college recommendation letters. The parent revealed that older students who had previously taken Chan's class reported similar patterns of inappropriate questioning from their teacher.
Additional concerns emerged regarding Chan's grading practices. He reportedly quizzed students on mathematical concepts they had not yet learned and incorporated these scores into their official grades. Furthermore, Chan allegedly offered extra credit opportunities that involved students performing silly dances that he filmed and uploaded to his personal YouTube channel.
'They’re buying grades from him by humiliating themselves,' the parent told The Chronicle, highlighting concerns about academic integrity and student exploitation.
Mixed Student Reactions
Despite the serious allegations, some students expressed more nuanced perspectives. The anonymous parent's own child described Chan as well-liked among students and suggested the offensive questions might have been intended as 'bad dad jokes.'
Lowell High School seniors Jayden Grajeda and Ezra Medad, who took Chan's class last year, acknowledged finding some questions unusual but defended their teacher's character. 'He has some odd mannerisms to him, but he's a good guy,' Grajeda told NBC Bay Area. 'He has kids. He just seems like a lovable kind of enjoyable teacher.'
Medad added that Chan consistently took time to ensure students understood the material, suggesting his teaching methods might have been misguided rather than malicious. 'I don't think he meant that stuff he said. He was just trying to get the kids to focus and engage with the material and actually try to learn it.'
Official Investigation Underway
San Francisco Unified School District spokesperson Laura Dudnick confirmed to The Chronicle that officials are 'actively investigating' the concerns raised about Chan's conduct. The district has declined to provide further details while the investigation remains ongoing, citing standard procedural protocols.
The Daily Mail has reached out to both Lowell High School administration and Tom Chan for official comment regarding the allegations. As the investigation progresses, education officials must balance concerns about inappropriate classroom content with considerations of a teacher's long-standing career and student testimonials about his instructional effectiveness.
