PDFLINK |
What I Know for Sure
Communicated by Notices Associate Editor William McCallum
“You will not graduate until you learn to write better.” These were Dr. Lee Stiff’s words to me as I sat in his office reviewing my heavily edited dissertation manuscript. He went on to explain that a well-written dissertation could serve as the catalyst for my first publication. A decade after they were spoken, these words still ring in my memory, representing the turning point that led to two publications based on my dissertation. Dr. Stiff’s challenge, issued to me and to many other students, produced excellence.
The late Dr. Lee V. Stiff was many things to many people in academia: dissertation advisor, academic father, hero, pioneer, precursor, humanitarian, and my personal favorite, teacher. He was a quarterback for mathematics justice and a coach for the soul. It was not uncommon to attend a capacity-filled presentation in which Dr. Stiff, with the passion of a Baptist preacher, would strike the iron of your soul while at the same time moving you to tears. It was part of his majesty and Southern charm that he spoke simultaneously to your head and your heart. His voice lives on through the students he advised, papers he authored, books he published, policies he challenged and changed, and lives that were enriched by his work.
Dr. Stiff defending the NCTM and their recommendations for school mathematics.

The body of work Dr. Stiff created during his lifetime supported change and challenged inequities in mathematics and mathematics education. An example of his work is demonstrated in his 2016 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Ignite talk entitled, “What You Know for Sure!” In this talk he outlines the barriers preventing access to rigorous mathematics that we are aware of yet fail to address and explains how students labeled “at-risk” are “at-risk” due to teachers’ belief systems. The impact of his lifelong work on the field is evident in the current positions of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the mathematical sciences.
Lee Vernon, as he was affectionately known to his family and friends, grew up in Murfreesboro, NC, where he attended Riverview Elementary School and graduated from C.S. Brown High School in 1967. During his high school years, Lee had a significant mentor in his life, Mr. Dudley Flood. Lee spent a lot of time with Mr. Flood, who in addition to serving as his mentor was his Boy Scout leader, mathematics teacher, and football coach. It was Mr. Flood who convinced Lee that excelling in mathematics would be his ticket to college.
During Lee’s senior year of high school, the North Carolina public schools began desegregation. When students were given the option of moving to the white school, Lee chose to stay where he was because he was the star quarterback and, in his words, “a big man on campus.” He stated that he was already getting a good education at his current school. While in high school, Lee met his future wife, Renee Flood; they were married for 39 years and had two daughters, Dr. Adrienne Stiff-Roberts (professor of electrical engineering, Duke University) and Morgan Stiff (movie producer).
After high school, Lee attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a degree in mathematics in 1971. He continued his education at The Pennsylvania State University (1972) and Duke University (1974), earning Master of Arts degrees in mathematics from both institutions. In 1978, he completed his PhD in mathematics education at North Carolina State University (NCSU).
Dr. Stiff began his teaching career at Murfreesboro Senior High School in Hertford County, NC, and later taught at Daniels Junior High School in Raleigh, NC. In 1978 he accepted a position as assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he remained until 1983. In 1983, Dr. Stiff returned to NCSU as an assistant professor of mathematics education; he was promoted to professor in 1998.
In 2000, at a critical moment in mathematics education, Dr. Stiff was elected president of NCTM, a position he held from 2000 to 2002. After completing his tenure as president, he returned to his position as professor of mathematics education at NCSU. He concluded his 42-year career in higher education as Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs in the College of Education at NCSU. While at NCSU, he chaired 15 dissertations and served on numerous dissertation committees. He authored countless journal articles and over 40 textbooks. He was a sought-after keynote speaker and delivered numerous conference presentations.
Dr. Stiff was a dynamic speaker and influencer in the mathematics education community and his talks would fill rooms to capacity. He spoke with a quiet force that often moved his audience to tears. He was masterful in using voice inflection to emphasize essential elements of a speech and employing body language to command a crowd’s attention.
Most importantly, Dr. Stiff was an advocate for students and teachers alike. His talks made you pause to wonder about the possibilities for more equitable mathematics education, in which all students could access the resources they needed to succeed. He understood the pain, the frustrations, and the disappointments of students and teachers, and he enabled his audiences to imagine how it felt to be in their place. He was keenly aware of how decisions made at the highest levels affected parents, students, and other key stakeholders.
In his “Spread the Word” President’s Message published in the July/August 2000 issue of the NCTM New Bulletin, he wrote,
Parents, school board members, community leaders, and others must understand that NCTM’s vision of school mathematics recognizes that basic computational skills are important but are not enough. Students need to understand the underlying concepts of the mathematics they are taught and have the opportunity to go beyond rote learning in mathematics.
Dr. Stiff’s advocacy work was situated in the context of the “math wars” that ensued from the proposed updating of mathematics education standards. In the 1989 document “Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics,” NCTM created national standards to support the quality of mathematics education. This presentation of standards sparked the math wars, which pitted traditional mathematics education, with its emphasis on teaching algorithms and rote procedures, against reform mathematics, which advocated inquiry-based approaches to teaching.
In the wake of NCTM’s 1989 standards, organizations outside mathematics also began issuing standards for their various disciplines and states. This led to the publication of the “Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics” (1991) and “Assessment Standards for School Mathematics” (1995). Under Dr. Stiff’s leadership, NCTM later published the “Principles and Standards for School Mathematics” (PSSM, 2000). The PSSM was the first set of standards to include equity as a guiding principle for all mathematics classrooms.
Dr. Stiff played a critical role in presenting these standards. He traveled the country educating mathematicians, mathematics educators, teachers, parents, and the public on the definition of a high-quality mathematics curriculum, instruction, and assessment and the importance of adopting these standards. In his “Multiple Paths to Success” President’s Message in the January 2001 NCTM New Bulletin, he stated:
Principles and Standards is a flexible and adaptable vision that works with and within local and state or provincial frameworks. This vision enables us to make wise choices—and one of the most important of them is the choice of curriculum materials.
The publication of the PSSM (2000) led to a debate on Capitol Hill in which Dr. Stiff defended NCTM’s position, using the platform to convey his message of hope for the future and reinforce the importance of access to rigorous mathematics for all. In classic Lee Stiff fashion, he argued before a national television audience on behalf of mathematics education for all students, advocating new methods of teaching mathematics and improving math and science education (C-SPAN clip: starts at 43:00).
Dr. Stiff’s leadership and influence are evident in his televised C-SPAN debate with Lynne Cheney, David Klein, Tom Loveless, Mike McKeown, and Gail Burrill in 2002. In this debate, Dr. Stiff argued that the NCTM standards supported greater math access for teachers and students and that rigorous mathematics should be accessible to all, not only a select few. He claimed that for students who were not “hardwired” for mathematics, skilled teachers could “put the wiring in.” In other words, with correct implementation and good teaching, anyone can learn mathematics. I strongly encourage you to watch the C-SPAN debate.
Dr. Stiff and Dr. Peter Eley at North Carolina State University graduation ceremony.

For many years Dr. Stiff displayed his genius by writing textbooks. He wrote over 40 classroom textbooks in addition to over 100 other publications. Dr. Stiff received numerous awards, including the NCTM Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), the TODOS Iris M. Carl Equity and Leadership Award, and the Benjamin Banneker Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2015).
During the 2000s, Dr. Stiff increasingly focused on advancing equity and access in mathematics, as illustrated by his work with Edstar Analytics, an organization that helps educational entities develop data-driven models for decision-making. Dr. Janet Johnson, Dr. Stiff ‘s first PhD student, cofounded the company, and Dr. Stiff served as president and cofounder. Along with Dr. Johnson and Dr. Patrick Akos, professor of counselor education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Stiff uncovered issues of tracking that prevented eligible students from accessing rigorous mathematics courses in Wake County, NC schools. These findings led to more questions and a critical review of data related to course-taking patterns in the school system.
As a result of their inquiry, the researchers discovered that the school district was not following its own longstanding policy on course enrollment. Many minority students could not access rigorous mathematics courses for which they were qualified and eligible to enroll. Dr. Stiff was a staunch advocate for giving students access to the highest and most rigorous curriculum for which they were prepared, subscribing to the theory that students meet the expectations adults have for them. Dr. Stiff tested this notion often and was repeatedly proven correct by numerous minority students.
For example, through Edstar Analytics he had the opportunity to examine students’ course-taking patterns; armed with that data, he convinced local education agencies to enforce the policies they already had on the books. As a result, many academically qualified students gained access to rigorous mathematics courses for the first time, helping to narrow the achievement gap. Interestingly, one student for whom Dr. Stiff championed access to rigorous mathematics courses later graduated high school as the class valedictorian. These kinds of accomplishments made Dr. Stiff special as an educator, advocate, and mentor.
In his role with Edstar Analytics, Dr. Stiff was once speaking to a group of high school math teachers about the overlooked high-achieving minority students who were not being recommended for advanced math courses. Edstar Analytics had helped the teachers review the data to identify these students. When the math teachers argued that although high achieving, these students could not succeed in advanced math due to a lack of resources and support, Dr. Stiff offered to teach the course himself if they would enroll the students. The school accepted his offer and enrolled the students, and he taught the course. The students were successful. On another occasion, when Dr. Stiff was demonstrating to elementary school teachers how to teach mathematical concepts, the teachers complained that their students could never understand the concepts. Dr. Stiff volunteered to teach their classes and model good mathematics teaching; once he did this, the teachers were convinced.
Working with a program that promoted equity in education, Edstar Analytics helped a school district identify sixth-grade, low-income minority students who were predicted to be successful in advanced mathematics, so they could be placed on that path. These students were enrolled in an elective course designed to support them in switching to the rigorous math track. When school administrators saw how many Black males were in the course, they assigned a special education teacher who had no math training to teach it, and could not be convinced to do otherwise. Drs. Stiff and Johnson went to the school for a year and taught this course. The following year, these students were identified as academically gifted and an appropriate teacher was assigned to the program. These are just a few examples of how Dr. Stiff went far beyond simply preaching the word.
When Dr. Stiff was not championing equity and access, during his personal time at home he had an affinity for watching British television mysteries. He had considerable creative talent as a songwriter and garnered movie credits for small-budget film soundtracks. He was the executive producer of the movie Mississippi Damned and wrote the lyrics and sang the history in History of Mathematics, The Musical. His very entertaining renditions illustrate the cultural diversity of those who have contributed to mathematics.
Dr. Stiff and Dr. Janet Johnson. Janet Johnson was Dr. Stiff’s first doctoral student at North Carolina State University.

As a seasoned faculty member in the NCSU College of Education, Dr. Stiff was frequently sought out by school districts for his advice and tremendous insight. He often served as a voice of reason, imparting wisdom to younger faculty of color and women faculty that prevented them from doing or saying things they might later regret. He avidly championed and promoted the work of women in math. He was highly respected by his colleagues, peers, and students throughout the mathematics and mathematics education communities. In his last years, Dr. Stiff accepted the challenging administrative role of Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs in the College of Education at NCSU. In this role, he actively participated in dissertation committees and taught courses while working on faculty issues for the college.
The passion and enthusiasm Dr. Stiff brought to education was charismatic and unique. He embodied a strength that endured in tough times and an integrity that allowed him to forge new paths rather than following the crowd. His infectious smile and passion for providing opportunities for others, no matter who they were, left a lasting impression on the mathematics and mathematics education communities. His life and work remind us how critical it is for those who are outstanding among us to serve others. In his words: “Those who can, do; those who care, teach!”
References
- [1]
- L. V. Stiff, What you know for sure!: Lee V. Stiff, 15 April 2016, [Online]. https://youtu.be/RRsv_rwZkyw. [Accessed 8 March 2022].
- [2]
- American Mathematical Society (AMS), Towards a fully inclusive mathematics profession, AMS, 2021. https://www.ams.org/about-us/Towards-a-Fully-Inclusive-Mathematics-Profession.pdf
- [3]
- Mathematical Association of America (MAA), Best practices statements, 24 October 2021, [Online]. https://www.maa.org/programs-and-communities/professional-development/committee-on-faculty-and-departments/guideline-statement-6. [Accessed 21 January 2023].
- [4]
- Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences (CBMS), CBMS position statements, 3 December 2021, [Online]. https://www.cbmsweb.org/cbms-position-statements/. [Accessed 21 January 2023].
- [5]
- L. V. Stiff, NCTM President’s Message: Spread the word, July/August 2000, [Online]. https://www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-the-President/Archive/Lee-V_-Stiff/Spread-the-Word/. [Accessed 21 January 2023].
- [6]
- L. V. Stiff, NCTM President’s Message: Multiple paths to success, January 2001, [Online]. https://www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-the-President/Archive/Lee-V_-Stiff/Multiple-Paths-to-Success/. [Accessed 21 January 2023].
- [7]
- Math education C-SPAN, 4 March 2002. [Online]. https://www.c-span.org/video/?168953-1/math-education. [Accessed 8 March 2022].
- [8]
- NCTM Lifetime Achievement Award 2019, 11 April 2019, [Online]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-rkTbBpTvQ, [Accessed 8 March 2022].
- [9]
- L. V. Stiff, J. Johnson, and P. Akos, Examining what we know for sure: Tracking in middle grades mathematics. In Disrupting tradition: Research and practice pathways in mathematics education, Reston, VA, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2011, pp. 63–75.
- [10]
- T. Mabry, director, Mississippi Damned [Film], 2009.
- [11]
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition 2017, 5–8 April 2017, [Online]. https://www.nctm.org/2017SanAntonio/, [Accessed 20 March 2022].
Credits
Figure 1, Figure 2, and author photo are courtesy of Peter Eley.
Figure 3 is courtesy of NCTM.