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  Case: De-emphasize Differences.
I was recently assigned to the middle school in the Warren School District. The district serves a community that had once been an all-white middle-class enclave, but has recently become more diverse in its ethnic makeup. I am very interested in multicultural education. I instituted the use of dialog journals in my adviser group, telling the students that they can write anything they want. Some journal entries cause me concern. Warren Jackson, an African American, complains that my emphasis on African American culture embarrasses him. Gail Smith, a white girl, writes that her parents object strongly to her affection for Warren Jackson and that she is considering suicide. My problems come to a head in my first meeting with the principal. The principal suggests that I decrease his use of small groups, that I abandon my dialogue journals, and that I de-emphasize the multicultural aspects of my classes. He suggests that I emphasize similarities, not differences. I don't know what to do. I do think that my methods have some value but I cannot go against my principal.
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
Wow, this one is tough. I would alert the proper authorities such as the school counselor over remarks such as those made by Gail Smith. I do like the idea of dialogue journals though and feel that the teacher should keep on implementing them. I would alter my approach to integrating multicultural education in my lessons by asking the students their thoughts on a particular cultural issue, group, etc. The students could write these remarks in their journals and/or discuss it in small groups or whole group. I do think the principal does have a point in emphasizing similarities. From our Spring (2008) text, I noticed that some of the individuals seemed so geared on emphasizing a particular cultural group's differences, that it would do more harm than good. While we want our students to recognize and appreciate each other's differences, we also want them to feel a sense of unity.