How does the history of American education provide a context for multiculturalism?
Throughout the years the education system has had problems and the issues are still being address. In the 1800’s and 1900’s the school were intended for rich white students. Women were not allowed to attend schools as they were prepared to their role as a wife. As education changed, so did the multiculturalism within the schools. Students from all walks of life were provided an education. Education was now provided to woman as well as men. In the 1960’s the African Americans started a movement to receive the same quality of education as white students. The African Americans were bus to other white schools to integrate the school system and make universal system. In the beginning this was feared and white students voice their opinion against the union between the two cultures. Over the next decade the school system found a large number of Spanish speaking students attending the school system. The school system consists only of English speaking school and had to adapt to students that will use English as a second language. The school started programs and classes for Spanish speaking classes and hired Spanish speaking teachers.
This country is a large melting pot that includes many cultures. It was always a difficult task to bring all of these cultures together the way the city neighborhoods were segregated. The movement to have students bus to school to integrate the schools was used to mix the different culture and make sure all students had the right to receive the same quality education. I feel some of the issues that come from this movement are the testing part of education for different cultures. Studies show that white students test higher then African American students and some African American believe that the test was based around white students.
Some of the advantages of a multicultural education are that we learn to respect each other and their culture. Prejudice is usually a fear of the unknown and by putting all students together this help to end stereotyping, prejudice, racism and bigotry. While all attempts to achieve a multicultural school system there are flaws that arise in the schools. This includes cliques and some resentment of other races. This problem seems to be seen in colleges and universities. Groups and cliques are formed by school organizations and also by students. The separation of culture, race can be identified as not always one cohesive unit.
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