Conflict and Resolution

NSCSS Fall Conference

Ft Omaha

October 21, 2006

“The Conflict of Multiculturalism”

Dr. Tom King, Doane CollegeProfessor of Secondary EducationDirector of Secondary EducationSocial Studies Methods

Multiculturalism and Social Studies

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans… The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibilities of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities.”

Where did the Social Studies Go Wrong?

This 2003 report from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation consists of penetrating critiques by renegade social studies educators who fault the repugnant teaching methods and curricular ideas of their field and suggest how it can be reformed.

Two Visions of AmericaMelting Pot

Multiethnic societyWhites, nonwhitesAnglos, French,

German, Spanish,Dutch, etc.

What are you?

Cult of Ethnicity nonAnglo whites Nonwhite minorities

Denounce goal of assimilation

Challenge goal of one people

Wants to protect, promote, and perpetuate separate ethnic and racial communities

What kind of MC education is most appropriate for our

children?Two Visions

Cultural Pluralist

Critical Separatist

Cultural Pluralist Vision

Before 1960’s-ethnicity treatment weakBy 1980’s-Majority acceptance of CPWhat is it?

While recognizing our differences, we should accentuate what American’s have in common and our positive evolution as a diverse society.

Critical Separatism

Second vision-1990’s to presentWhat is it?

Stresses cultural and ethnic differences and the nation’s failure to live up to its ideals.

Fordham Report Problems?

Leading theorists within SS support Critical separatism

Influences NCATEMany education faculty believe and

teach this vision!This affects Social Studies Education!~!

Reasons to reject CS

MisleadingAttacks American IdealsFosters ethnic discordPromotes extreme relativismObjectionable on evidentiary

grounds

Critical Separatism Bad points

Rejects unifying vision of America

Promotes group identities not individualism

We are defined by race and culture?

Promotes fragmentation

Negative view of European heritage

Glorifies pluribus over unum!

Good pointsRecognition of

minoritiesTeach history

from different perspectives

Learn about other races, cultures

Main objective of public education should be the protection, strengthening, celebration and perpetuation of ethnic origins and identities.

Separatism nourishes prejudices and stirs antagonisms

History and literature should be taught to raise minority self-esteem not as intellectual disciplines.

Attack whiteness as distortion of reality

N. Ukpokodu (1999)

“Most white children have spent their academic lives looking into distorted mirrors of their history, and culture which only reflected people like themselves.”

White privilege?

Negative view of whitesRace more than meritRole of MC in schools is not to

promote true appreciation for diversity—but advocate social reconstruction.

Christine Sleeteron Thanksgiving teaching

“But that isn’t the story. From the perspective of indigenous people, the real story has been one of genocide and of taking land away.”

Appraising the CS

Racism of whites ( EAm) runs contrary to the facts.

Greater inclusion today than ever before.

Steady increase in const and legal rights for minorities

Robert Putnam (1997)

“ without a doubt, America in the 1990’s was a more tolerable place than America in the 1950’s or even the 1970’s.”

Fordham Recommendations

Develop courses that fairly describe experiences and contributions of minority groups

Teachers should reject notion that all cultures are equal.

Teach about unity as well as disunity in the U.S.

Teachers should not assume the role of social activists. Focus on students own interpretations of history

Teach with content based curriculum

Call for a Common Culture!

As U.S. becomes more heterogeneous the quest for unity and a common culture is all more urgent!

Role of Public Schools

Train new citizensPromote common

cultureWhat does it

mean to be an American?

“E pluribus unum”

“One out of many” Create a national

identity Point of America

was not to preserve old cultures but to create a new American culture!

John Stuart Mill, 19th philosopher

Two elements that define a nationDesire of people to be governed

together,Common sympathy instilled by a

shared history, values, and language.

Mahatma Gandhi

“We must cease to be exclusive Hindus or Muslims or Sikhs, Parsis, Christians, or Jews. Whilst we may staunchly adhere to our respective faiths, we must be Indians first and Indians last”.