Student Refuses to Answer Offensive Question on Math Homework Receives Praise on Social Media

A high school student in the Midwest made headlines on social media back in early 2016 after standing up to what many called an insensitive math problem on their homework.

The trouble started when 16-year-old Alex Thompson, whose name was widely shared online, encountered a word problem in a geometry assignment that asked students to calculate the area of a “family farm” based on outdated stereotypes about rural life. The question included references that played into racial tropes, leaving Thompson feeling uncomfortable and unwilling to participate. In a bold move, Thompson crossed out the problem and wrote a note to the teacher explaining why it was problematic, saying it promoted harmful ideas that didn’t belong in a classroom.

Word of Thompson’s stand spread quickly after a photo of the homework went viral on Twitter, now known as X. People from all over praised the teen for showing courage, with comments flooding in from educators, parents, and activists. One tweet that got thousands of likes simply read, “This kid gets it – teaching moments like this are why we need to do better.” The story highlighted growing concerns about bias in educational materials, a topic that had been bubbling up in online discussions around that time.

Schools and publishers took notice, with some issuing apologies and promising reviews of their content. Thompson’s family later shared that the experience turned into a positive one, as it sparked conversations at home and in the community about respect and representation. It’s moments like these that remind us how a single act can shake things up and push for change, even if it’s just through a math worksheet.