The Role of the School in Promoting Pluralism - Essay Example

?The Role of the School in Promoting Pluralism The American society has changed; it has become greatly diverse. Each day, more and more babies are borne of parents from different cultural origins. In effect, the values of people tend to be diverse. With varying cultures, people may find it difficult to communicate with others and live in harmony together. Conflicts are bound to rise especially among religious groups and one culture will always claim superiority to the others. This reality necessitates the teaching of pluralism or the existence of diverse cultures in one society. At present, schools act as the primary agent of pluralism with its curriculum content, values, and resources. According to Carroll and Buchholtz (8), pluralism refers to the “diffusion of power among society’s many groups and organizations.” Typically, it is characterized by “decentralization and diversity of power concentration” (ibid.). In the political scenario, the rise of the political parties implies the acceptance of pluralism. Likewise, in the education system, the abolition of racial segregation in schools has opened the system to diversity and multicultural education (Connolly 23). Similarly, the face of entertainment includes artists coming from different cultural backgrounds such as Jacky Chan, Jennifer Lopez, Psy, Charice Pempengco, and many others. Pluralism has given a voice to the minority, abolished racial discrimination, and opened better economic possibilities for the U.S. Given its advantages, pluralism should be cultivated further. Schools, being the most legitimate source of knowledge and values, should act as the main agent to promote pluralism but is it doing its part to address problems of diversity at all levels? Looking at curriculum content, values and resources will definitely provide a view whether the school is doing its part in promoting pluralism. The absence of non-discriminatory content does not mean the teaching of pluralism. Rather, recommendations to tackle differences in religion, ethnicity and nationality are valuable measures of pluralistic school curriculum. In particular, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Common Core Content for Grades 6-8 Social Studies recommends the teaching of American history and the history of other countries such as India and China. This direction illustrates the effort of developing awareness of other cultures. However, limiting the discussion to only two countries in Asia is not be enough to achieve pluralism. Readings and first-hand experiences with different cultures from different continents should be done to achieve awareness and acceptance of diversity. In the meantime, Florida’s Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies uphold diversity by leading students to understand different perspectives and cultures. Lesson objectives express this requirement; however, the reading selections mostly include American and British works. Indeed, there is a need to review the recommended readings and include works by authors from other continents in order to satisfy the requirement for diversity. In terms of values, schools that practice diversity should include an expression of means to accommodate diversity in their Core Values. Looking at different School Values could give light to the issue. For instance, in the website of St. Joseph’s College, a school located in Rensselaer Indiana, the Mission/Vision expresses that “the College serves a diverse student body composed of men and women of all races, creeds, and socio-economic backgrounds…”. This statement recognizes the diversity of students but is not enough to imply the effort of the school to promote pluralism. Further review of the core values illustrates the intent to hone attitudes towards Christian formation, particularly that which stems from “Judeo-Christian and Graeco-Roman traditions and from Vatican II inspiration.” In this regard, the Mission/Vision of the school implies the acceptance of students from diverse cultures but along with it is the goal to transform individuals into a common religious identity, hence negating pluralism. In New Middletown Elementary School in New Middletown Indiana, the Mission/Vision is to develop “an environment in which all students experience success through authentic, real-life activities allowing our students to become responsible citizens and life-long learners in an ever-changing world.” This statement reflects the school’s acceptance of different cultures as resources and activities are taken from real life. Students in this school can expect to be exposed to different cultures and scenarios, including first-hand experiences of their classmates and community members. Activities could range from classroom discussions to group dynamics and community building. Moreover, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, a public school in Chicago, reflects a better view of pluralism. In its website, the mission statement expresses the goal to “expose children to the diversity of the community and develop respect for the heritage of others.” This statement clearly pronounces the diverse nature of the students and the goal to make students coexist with one another and give respect to other cultures. The school’s vision actually states that the school is “notable for…a diverse and creative student body...” The term “creative” suggests the idea that with diversity comes creativity. School resources are yet another consideration in promoting pluralism. Resources include teaching materials, textbooks, and facilities. Nevertheless, the most powerful resources are the teachers who are always in contact with students. To ensure pluralism, teachers themselves should have diverse ethnicities or cultural backgrounds. A look at the faculty profile in the three abovementioned schools will verify whether their practice of pluralism is true or not. In St. Joseph’s College, the faculty includes other cultures such as Italian and Jew but most of them are Americans. The number of teachers coming from diverse cultures is not enough to show efforts towards promoting pluralism. Although it is not in the law, there should be an ideal ratio of Americans or whites to their counterparts. In New Middletown the faculty is likewise composed of mostly American whites. In fact there are no Black Americans in the school based on its list in the website. Moreover, the teachers are all seasoned ones, which is the same case in St. Joseph’s College. In the list of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, names are obviously a mixture of different cultures such as Americans, Canadians/French, and Mexican/Latina teachers. This is the ideal pool of faculty for promoting pluralism. The effort to promote pluralism is a big leap towards success for the 21st century students. Therefore, schools should take every opportunity to accommodate diversity. However, as this paper reveals, curriculum content and resources are not enough to achieve pluralism and emphasize the value of accepting and living with other cultures. In particular, the school staff should consist of a variety of cultures in order to facilitate the promotion of pluralism and impart the importance and benefits of welcoming diversity. Works Cited Carroll, Archie and Ann Buchholtz. Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management. OH: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Connolly, William. Pluralism. NC: Duke University Press, 2005. School Mission/Vision.Abraham Lincoln Elementary School. 22 April 2013. Web. School Mission/Vision. NewMiddletown Elementary School. 22 April 2013. Web. School Mission/Vision. St. Joseph’s College. 22 April 2013. Web. Read More