Zohran Mamdani and the Misleading Claims About ‘Arabic Numerals’ in New York City Schools
Zohran Mamdani, who became the mayor of New York City after a campaign centered on affordability, has recently been at the center of an online controversy. This controversy involves claims that he plans to ‘introduce Arabic numerals’ in the city’s public schools.
Following the 2024 presidential election, with Donald Trump emerging victorious, Mamdani took to the streets to engage with citizens about their voting choices. He discovered that the cost of living was a predominant concern among Trump voters.
During his campaign, Mamdani, who has openly embraced being New York City’s first South Asian and Muslim mayor, faced numerous attacks related to his faith.
Post-election, rumors began to spread online suggesting that Mamdani intended to incorporate ‘Arabic numerals’ into the curriculum of New York City’s public schools.
But what does this claim really entail?
The notion circulated as a playful jest by Mamdani’s supporters, highlighting the fact that the numerical system widely used in mathematics worldwide is based on Arabic numerals. Arab scholars introduced this numerical system to Europeans, leading to the term ‘Arabic numerals’ for the digits 0 through 9.
Consequently, ‘Arabic numerals’ are already a standard part of education not only in New York but across the United States.
There’s a variation, as Arabic uses different symbols, where ‘1 2 3 4 5’ are represented as ‘٥ ٤ ٣ ٢ ١’.
The core concept of using digits from 0 to 9 for number formation originates from Arabic, though the symbols themselves have evolved over time.
In contrast, the Roman numeral system in Europe assigned values to letters, with their arrangement indicating mathematical relationships. For instance, V (5) and I (1) could form IV (4, or ‘5-1’) or VI (6, or ‘5+1’), a more complex system.
Despite the humorous nature of the original claim, some individuals took it seriously, underscoring the absurdity of certain accusations against Mamdani.
Among those misled was West Virginia House of Delegates member Derrick Evans, involved in the January 6 Capitol insurrection attempt, who tweeted: “BREAKING: Zohran Mamdani is expected to require ALL New York Elementary school students to learn Arabic numerals.”
Beyond the numeral controversy, Mamdani’s campaign was marked by its linguistic diversity, featuring videos in Arabic, including a proficient use of both Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects, as well as in Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu.