Submitted by Dr. Tamika Sanders, Director of Programming for Savvy Pen
As Trump protests helping immigrants from “shithole” countries and students Snapchat racist lyrics celebrating the death of Dr. King, the need for multiculturalism has never been greater! The idea of multiculturalism stems from the view that all cultures in a society merit equal respect and scholarly interest. As a political philosophy, it involves ideologies and policies ranging from advocacy of equal rights to promoting the inclusion of diverse perspectives and ways of thinking to inform policies that will affect different ethnic groups.
The concept of multicultural education emerged from the ethnic studies movement that began the fight for civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s. Inspired by these developments, women, people with disabilities, and other ethnic groups pushed for program changes in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. To include these new perspectives, educators expanded multiethnic education to what is now known as multicultural education in order to examine topics such as race, religion, class, language, and gender. Currently, multicultural curriculum includes the historical relationship between these variables and its effect on identity formation, politics, and socioeconomic problems.
Critics of multicultural approaches to education question whether or not teachers should promote social justice issues in the classroom or remain neutral. Unfortunately, whether or not teachers remain neutral, social justice issues continue to enter the classroom in the form of students not standing for the pledge of allegiance, DACA students protesting their right to be heard, or navigating polices dictating ethic hairstyles and clothing.
Is not school the place for students to learn how to examine and influence unfair laws and policies? Especially considering that most of the successful resistance movements were started on college campuses, with faculty leading the way and showing students how to create the change they sought.
If we as educators, parents, and community leaders continue to do nothing, leaving our children defenseless under the current administrations attack of everyone who does not belong to the white elite, then what does that say about us? What does that say for the legacy of Dr. King or the Civil Rights Movement?
Multiculturalism in itself may not be the answer, but it is a start. A start that recognizes that we are a country of immigrants and whether we like it or not, we are here to stay. Why not find a way to get along and see our differences as a source of strength rather than contention.