Multicultural Education

Of course Western thought and teachings is what dominates American schools. This is the Western hemisphere, we were founded on a Western philosophy, and we have been growing as a Western nation for centuries. But now we have a global community and borders are fading. Students have rapid access to ideas and materials that would have taken years to obtain in the past. So, should we teach non-Western ideas in schools?

My first response is yes, absolutely. By teaching students about different philosophies, governments, literature, and histories you create a more well-rounded person. The counter-argument is the basis for our entire educational system: What's the point? Why? Will students need to know about Genghis Kahn's conquest and unification of Asia? When will they ever use such information? This viewing lens is called "Essentialism", and is how we dictate what is and isn't taught in public schools. The problem with this is it creates unfinished machines, not an educated populace. In Essentialism, there is no need for art, music, dance, or physical education - and guess where those school programs have gone?

And now look at what we have in our schools: hours upon hours devoted to cramming English, Math, History (whose?), and Science into kids' often uncaring skulls. Schools are not about obtaining an education anymore, they have become institutions that promote the status quo. In the deformed spirit of Essentialism, which prunes down school work to just what students will need to survive in the real world, a huge piece of humanity is missing: the creative, the desire for self-directed learning, the growth of the inner self, the ability to understand the world in different ways and experience different points of view.

The other side of the coin is, where's the time? There is only so much learning that can occur, or that students will be able to sit through, in a day, week, month, and year. Also there is the whole state testing thing, but I'm going to leave that clusterfuck alone. The most tangible benefit of teaching a wide spectrum of ideas and cultures is the creation of an intrinsic motivation to learn. I feel that once students see the breadth of the world's knowledge consists not of the tripe mandated by government officials, they will desire to know about the world on their own terms. This is what Mr. Jefferson refers to when he desires an educated population, the only kind that can support a true democracy. Otherwise you have a nation of people who will simply believe whatever they are told, because that's how they've been taught their whole lives.