One would sound cruel and glib if one said, " The problem with minorities is that they exist." But there is truth and an implied solution in that flippant statement. The solution to a minority problem is to put as many of them together so they become a majority. This includes education. That bit of truth has been popping up across America. Trying to teach classes that are filled with multicultural students invites failure in performance. Americas European culture and educational curriculum and ENGLISH only has been submerged by the new realities of an open door policy on immigration without regard to Americas cultural foundations.. This started with the Nationality and Immigration Act of 1965. Also the Civil Rights laws of the 1960s and the Federal Education Act of 1972 hindered a remedy for the wrong turn in education. Those laws changed the arrogant " seperate but equal" approach to education to the political condescension of " different but equal". Both are not accurate or workable.People are known by their differences. Culture, race and competence do matter.
In Omaha last week, the Nebraska legislature led by Ernie Chambers its only African-American, established 3 VOLUNTARY school districts that are race based. One is white, 1 is black and 1 is for hispanics. Mr. Chambers said, " We [blacks] desire to control a school district in which we are the majority."
Last year the Bush administration proposed a change in Title IX of the Federal Education Act of 1972. The proposal would amend the Act to allow single sex classes and schools to be offered if there was equal funding. It was supported by Sen Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.; Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. and Sen Kay Baily Hutchison, R-Tx.
Gary Orfield,director of the Civil Rights Project at Harvard said last week in response to the Nebraska vote, " These efforts to resegregate schools by race keep popping up in various parts of the country."
The "times are a changin". Its about time.
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