Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         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!) This seems to be an extremely sensitive situation. Initially, I would pass on Gail Smith's feelings to suicide to the counselors and allow them to determine the appropriate course of action. I can also understand Warren's feelings of embarrassment. There does not need to be an emphasis on one culture, but an balanced emphasis on all cultures. I would definitely not want to continue to do something that my principal had asked me to do. I would agree with the principal that it is also important to focus on cultural similarities. Perhaps finding a balance between the similarities and differences would be most beneficial to students. I would discuss with the principal the merit and benefits of multicultural education and maybe a middle ground can be reached.