> Have different standards for awarding doctorates based on race? This is not at all what the article is saying. The article argues the low percentage is parti

> Have different standards for awarding doctorates based on race? This is not at all what the article is saying. The article argues the low percentage is partially due to a "leaky pipeline" where black students don't have access to the same educational resources, and partially due to an unwelcoming atmosphere. The "So what?", if there is one given, is that we should address those issues, and the only example they give of how to do this is voluntarily setting up and participating in organizations for minorities. Implying the article as asking for lowered standards for black people is a mischaracterization. I wouldn't even look at the article as an argument for any particular educational policy though. To me it seems like the article is light on the "So?", because its main aim is just to convey what's in the title: "What It's Like to Be a Black Mathematician". If the content of the article just boils down to "it's kinda shitty", it would still be worthwhile and convey valuable information we should care about, even if the implications are left to the reader.