Blog #4: The Threat of Cultural Pluralism

Blog #4: The Threat of Cultural Pluralism

E. D. Hirsch’s article, “Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School” made several points worth serious consideration. The first deals with the strengths and weaknesses of cosmopolitanism and ethnocentrism. I think it is very important to see oneself as a member of a large, diverse community and that as a member of that community, certain shared values and experiences are present. The concern about an ethnocentric approach to multiculturalism is a valid one. America is a country of great diversity and despite the many problems present, it is a country characterized by relative peace. Think of Iraq where ethnic differences are the cause of daily combat. People of different ethnic heritage must feel connected to people of other ethnic heritage through some national identity if we are to live in peace.

Another point that Hirsch makes is that neglecting to teach elements of the dominant culture of the time (with the understanding that that might change) is a disservice to our youth because the ability to write and speak in the standard form of the dominant language is the key to successful employment. To refrain from educating segments of the population in this curriculum is to relegate them to menial labor.

How to change the curriculum to provide a more balanced coverage of information pertaining to the many cultures present in our society is a challenging and complex issue. Adam Wexler suggests some possible ways to do this in his article, “Multiculturalism in School Curriculum.” Wexler does not support the idea of focused studies on certain cultures such as Black History Month. Instead he suggests that when studying history that the experiences and viewpoints of all cultures at the time be examined. This sounds like a good approach, but the flaw is in assuming that all viewpoints will be covered. My guess is that our history textbooks do not cover all of these perspectives, and if they do, the coverage is not equally distributed. And in the study of literature the same problem arises. What is clear is that it is crucial that we rethink our curriculum so that it covers both elements of the dominant culture necessary for social advancement while at the same time providing equal time to other cultures.

In “New Immigration Ads Stir the Melting Pot” we are reminded of extremists who exhibit no tolerance for people of differing ethnic backgrounds. The existence of hate groups is real. To ignore them is dangerous. When reading the quoted statements by people associated with the organization FAIR, it is clear that they promote racist attitudes intent on undermining any attempts to develop successful avenues for the assimilation of immigrants in our country.

The schools in which I have worked have used curriculum, policies and the structure of the school as a means of social control. Behavior deemed acceptable is dictated by the school, and procedures are in place to teach and enforce these behaviors. Examples range from simple issues such as how to behave in the hallway and how to prepare oneself for class to more complex issues such as how to show respect to others. In my experience as a teacher, I have seen efforts on the part of teachers and administrators to promote a climate of respect with regard to cultural differences. This has been done in a variety of ways ranging from special programs to honor the accomplishments of black Americans to reading literature by writers of various ethnic heritages to studying the experiences of various types of people in the course of history. Most recently we have started an advisory program in our school that is intended to promote social harmony through respect. The idea of an advisory program is, I think, a good one. Unfortunately, there has not been adequate training to make it very effective. During these advisory sessions it has become clear that racial tension exists. These tensions exist as an undercurrent in the school. During class students usually make remarks that are not offensive. But in less structured environments – in the hall or during lunch – racial and religious tensions surface. For the most part, students keep these tensions away from the eyes and ears of the adults in the school. Only when a fight breaks out are we directly made aware of them. And so it seems that we do a good job of controlling tensions within the school, but we may be making very little progress in changing personal views.