How Important is Cultural Diversity at Your School? - California

Article Tools

Print This Article

Email This Article

Sign-up For Newsletters

See full library of articles

How Important is Cultural Diversity at Your School?

Attending a school with a diverse student body can help prepare your child for citizenship in a multicultural democracy.

By Lisa Rosenthal, Greatschools.net Staff

As the United States becomes a more culturally and ethnically diverse nation, public schools are becoming more diverse, too. According to the 2003 U.S. Census Current Population Survey Report in 2003, 60% of students enrolled in elementary and high schools were non-Hispanic white, 16% were black, 4% were Asian and 18% were Hispanic.

A Growing Trend
The Census Bureau projects that by the year 2100, the U.S. minority population

More on GreatSchools.net

will become the majority with non-Hispanic whites making up only 40% of the U.S. population. No doubt students will need to learn how to interact in a diverse environment. Jean Snell, clinical professor of teacher education at the University of Maryland, believes cultural diversity enhances the school experience, too. "There is a richness that comes from students working side by side with others who are not of the same cookie-cutter mold," she notes.

Students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop an understanding of the perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in a multicultural, multiethnic environment. Yet, as public schools become more diverse, demands increase to find the most effective ways to help all students succeed academically as well as learn to get along with each other. Teachers are faced with the challenge of making instruction "culturally responsive" for all students while not favoring one group over another.

Schools Must Take a Proactive Approach to Acknowledging Diversity

A parent needs to look beyond the numbers to evaluate a school's approach to diversity.
To create a positive environment where students and teachers are respectful of different backgrounds, schools have to be proactive. "Above all, schools shouldn't just do nothing," says Rosemary Henze, associate professor of linguistics and language development at San Jose State University in California and author of Leading for Diversity: How School Leaders Promote Positive Interethnic Relations.

Structured classroom activities can highlight diversity.
She suggests that teachers structure their teaching to acknowledge different perspectives. For example, in a history lesson about the Vietnam War, they should draw attention to the perspectives of North as well as South Vietnamese citizens, the feelings of the soldiers and diverse views of Americans. In a classroom the teacher can structure learning groups that are diverse and devise activities that require each student to contribute to the group. In this way students learn that each person in a group can contribute and has something of value to say.

Mutual respect is part of the equation.
Henze believes teachers should never tolerate disrespect. They should establish ground rules for the class, and even let the kids help to establish these rules.

She also believes the principal has a huge role in creating an environment where people respect the opinions of others and are open to multiple perspectives on any issue. This should be modeled for students, and in relations with faculty and staff, as well.

No Child Left Behind shines the light on achievement gaps among diverse groups of students.
The federal No Child Left Behind law has put pressure on schools to see that all students succeed, regardless of their ethnic or language background. Schools are required to meet state "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) goals for their total student populations and for specified demographic subgroups, including major ethnic/racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient (LEP) students, and students with disabilities. If these schools fail to meet AYP goals for two or more years, they are classified as schools "in need of improvement" and face consequences. A broad approach works best to address achievement gaps.

Belinda Williams, an education researcher and co-author of Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices, advises school leaders to implement a broad range of strategies to improve teaching and learning, rather than instituting quick fixes to address the achievement gap. The book argues that educators must become more sensitive to the world views of disadvantaged students — and incorporate this awareness into their day-to-day work.

Henze sees value in organizing special events at the school that raise awareness about diversity but warns that "these events should be built into the fabric of the school, rather than being a one-shot deal."

Schools should strive to create an environment where all children feel valued and all children can learn. Snell says the principal should set the tone by having a policy of "no excuses." If there is a problem with a particular student, she says principals and teachers should ask themselves, "What do we need to do to ensure that this child is engaged in learning?" and "What more can we do?" This may mean following up to see that the student has the proper place to study, healthy meals and all the support he needs.

What parents can do to promote a positive environment that fosters achievement for all students at the school:

Find your school and check the test scores on the school profile, and where available, pay particular attention to the results by subgroup.
If your school has disparities in outcomes for different groups of students (often called "the achievement gap"), you should look into why this gap exists and what measures the school is taking to close the gap.
Ask if there is an overall plan at the school for addressing the needs of diverse students and if there are support programs available for students who are not meeting the standards, including specialized instruction for students who are English language learners.
Express your concern if you see different discipline consequences for different groups of students, or if the best teachers are only teaching the strongest students.
Observe who is involved in student leadership. Is it an ethnically diverse group? If not, ask why.
Does the school have tracked classes for high and low ability grouping? If so, if you see racial or ethnic patterns in these classes, i.e. more racial minorities in lower ability groups, ask why. What's the makeup of the school staff? Are all the teachers white and all the aides people of color? Is there a racial hierarchy at the school? Ask what the school can do to change these patterns.
Don't be alarmed if you see groups of students separating by ethnic group at lunch or recess. "It's not necessarily a bad thing to be in their own group at recess," says Henze. "They can gain a lot from a feeling of belonging." But do pay attention to what goes on in the classroom. "Classroom activities that give kids the opportunity to interact with different groups can help to break down barriers," notes Henze.
Does the principal use a variety of avenues to get parental input? Henze says, "Parental involvement may not be a cultural expectation in some cultures. Schools should not ignore the silent parents. Principals need to listen to all parents and experiment with other ways of getting parental input—written forms, translators and phone calls. Schools should find multiple ways and times to communicate, not just when there are problems with a student."
Additional Resources:
Leading for Diversity: How School Leaders Promote Positive Interethnic Relations by Rosemary Henze, Corwin Press, 2002
Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices by Belinda Williams, Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 2003
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum, Basic Books, 1999
June 2006

Comments From GreatSchools.net Users

05/8/2008:

"My child will be attending there next year,and well I'm concerned about all the negative things I have been hearing about kids smoking on school grounds and them bringing knifes, I heard a child was jumped just the other day and alot of bullying going on. I hope it changes before my child gets there or we will not be there long.."

05/5/2008:

"Having attended a 'diverse' school, I find nothing positive about the experience. In fact, I entered the school with a postive perception of minorities. After personally witnessing and experiencing their 'diversity' I now KNOW that their lack of respect for learning and authority is NOT something that needs to be celebrated.' So you must mean my 3rd grade student who is doing reading and science on a 6th grade level? Because he's African American and in the foster system..... Don't put every1 in 1 basket please."

05/5/2008:

"Schools are becoming more diverse in poorer areas. However, if you look around you in places such as Buffalo, NY you will notice that city schools are dominantly Black and suburban schools are dominantly white. In Detroit, MI many schools are still 98% White or 100% Black. While our children are becoming more diverse, and many suburban schools are slowly becoming multicultural, overall it really hasn't changed much. All the schools I've been in have been either 90% Black or 90% white (or higher). In NYC, I've been to plenty of multicultural schools of Asians, Latinos, and Blacks but only about 1% of White students in any of those schools in the Bronx or Brooklyn. In Arizona, the schools seem to be increasing multiculturally thankfully, but in all states I've been (including Arizona) upper class white children are seeing the least amount of multicultural change. In order for children to truly feel a multicultural atmosphere outside of big cities, they need to start building s! chools on the border of towns so that all races and economic levels go to school together. Either way, even if a school is 90% or higher 1 race (or economic level) they should expose the children to different things such as taking them to see a play by August Wilson or to a Native American museum. I could go on, but I'll stop. Have a great day : ) PS. Being an educator, it is ridiculous that poor schools get less state aid (NY). My students come from homes of pure dysfunction and they expect them to get the same grades as wealthy children? They deal with drugs, drive bys, parents in jail, foster care, etc. Administrators live in ivory palaces!"

05/5/2008:

"Thank you for your article. I found it very informative and you gave me a way to be involved in the structure of my childs school by telling me what to look for (subgroups) and how to make a change if the gap is to big. "

05/2/2008:

"I feel that if you're white, you're all right! If you're black or brown, you're going DOWN!!"

05/1/2008:

"For those of you who are troubled about the hatred and negative responses that dominate these comments, I would like to point out to you that many of these people are the product of out public schools and have children who are in our schools. Yes, they have missed the point of diversity--that we learn to accept others who are different and to get along with them. Unfortunately, many of the children in our pubic schools come from hatefilled homes where appropirate behaviors and values are not taught. As an educator, I agree with the ideas behind diversity, yet I also recognize that many children have been led astray by associations with children whose families do not share the same values. Sometimes these bad influences come from people of different cultures. Frequently, they do not. It's time to realize that the bad influences come from the adult world and the impact of situation ethics and doing what seems best for the individual. The people at ENRON and other corpora! tions who have stolen millions from their employees were just doing what most Americans do--what was in their own best interest without regard for others. The only difference was the employees and others who were ripped off saw situations ethics from the other side--the side of the victim."

04/25/2008:

"I too agree with one of the blog writers. My heart is filled with sadness after reading the majority of the entries. We are a young “transplant” family from California and we are looking for a school for our soon to be five year old. I can hardly believe the responses to this article. Not only are many of you insensitive to culture, you are very ignorant as well. This country was built on the sweat and blood of many people from “diverse” backgrounds. I believe that the true meaning behind the article was lost in everyone’s emotions. This is a new day and age. Our children need to be taught what love is. Love has no color. I am not saying disregard where we all came from, but I am saying that we need to embrace each other and learn from one another. Yes there are some cultures that do not have many of the same luxuries of others, but that does not mean they should not have the same chance to excel in their education. There are many different reasons why people of all backgrounds respond to education in the way that they do. Everyone’s environment plays a huge role in what their day to day life will be. It is time for us as a society to embrace our differences as well as the differences of others. Let’s stop being so self-centered and work together. We can do that you know, instead of hating each other for our short comings, color of skin, and the language that we speak. The question was, “How Important is Cultural Diversity at Your School?” My answer to this question is, very important. A diverse school could give my child the advantage of becoming a more well rounded person and student. It can teach my son that yes he is different, but so is everyone else. It can also help him to debunk the stereotypes that have been placed on people from others that tend to judge a whole race or culture based on the nightly news or on one incident they had with a person in another race or culture. Remember, our children are not us. Give them the chance to form their own options based on what they have learned on a consistent bases. We could all use a dose of humility. "

04/21/2008:

"Diversity is NOT just another word for less white people. It is many colors, races, ethnicities, faiths, cultures, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) classes. The presence of one group neither equates nor implies the absence of another group. Anyone who has ever lived in an area dominated by one race or class (regardless of what that race or class is) knows what diversity is and isn't. And, if you feel comfortable being around just your race or class, fine. But at the very least, own up to it. Don't say that you never hear people in areas that are heavily Latino, Black or Asian speak of diversity, because we do so often. If you don't hear it, you probably don't spend much time among diverse groups, so why would you hear it?"

04/18/2008:

"I was thinking about the idea that diversity means less white people. I believe that person has a point. However, I would still be concerned if I was sending my daughter to an all black/asian/hispanic school in a country that is such a symbol of diverse ethnic groups living together. "

04/18/2008:

"Do you see a trend here in these posting? The young tell us their struggles with diversity. They have to go to school every day and live it. Parents question what their children face in this world and what is best for their children. Language diversity is important for EVERYONE. ELL, and English speaking students and all the others out there are trying to learn. Where are OUR tax dollars going? This issue is about what is best for our children and making sure as parent’s we make the best decision we can for our children. Support your schools and get involved make sure you vote for the proper Representative. It is proven, that is what gives everyone the voice to a good education. Whose’ child will be left behind, the child that no one speaks up for? No, the person that gets out there and makes a difference. All children need to learn a different language, just ask 600 K a year, I'm sure there life is perfect! "

04/17/2008:

"Diversity is, indeed, a pc term for less white people. I never hear about schools in California that are over 90% Hispanic clamoring for more diversity. Only when whites have an overwhelming percentage do we hear this crap. Diversity is perversity."

04/16/2008:

"I found this article as I am struggling with the decision as to which school to send my soon to be 5 year old daughter. The public school she is supposed to go to is rated by greatschools as a 5/10 and has a diverse student body. She also got accepted by another public school with a 9/10 rating which has about 86% white and less than 1% black student population. At preschool, she was told by a girl she can not play with her because her skin color is different. At the time her school addressed the incident in a very satisfying manner by taking is as a teachable moment. But as she goes to grade school, I want the only worry in her mind to be about school work. I wonder if she would be able to do that if she attends a school that is not diverse. "

04/16/2008:

"Diversity is just another word for less white people."

04/16/2008:

"This is an exellent article and resource for us as we are in the process of relocating to another state. The transition to different schools can be overwhelming and moreso with an interstate move. This article will be very helpful in making a wise choice for schools. Thank you. I love this wesite!"

04/16/2008:

"Diversity wouldn't be such a big deal if people didn't stick to their stereotypes. People wonder why minorities are looked down upon. The only African's I know try to be 'gangster', mexicans trying to be 'ghetto' (which doesn't work. my community is a very wealthy community). I believe in diversity. The kids just don't believe in themselves. It may just be the popular style to wear and act such ways (violence, bragging, excessive noise, etc.). Diversity can be so powerful! I want to do something to get these kids to stray away from the lives they want to lead, and go for a life which is brighter. "

04/14/2008:

"I once thought that diversity was a wonderful thing, but then I went to a diverse high school. I learned that nothing good comes from diversity, unless you think that not being able to learn because of constant class disruptions, having your school supplies stolen or destroyed, and being assaulted are good things. Forcing smart, hard-working students to spend all day with thugs who hate learning and who can't spend five minutes without breaking the rules does not benefit them. That's the reason why so many parents put their kids in private schools or move so their kids will be in different schools. "

04/14/2008:

"It is difficult to answer the question about cultural or ethnic diversity. Certainly in suucha short blog. In reading some of the postings, I would agree that almost everyone has a great point to make. Personally, I do not like too much diversity in schools. This is not to say that there should be White schools nor Black schools, but rather simply to say that like people work better and get along better with like people. For instance, there are Jewish schools in which only Jews go to (I am Jewish by the way) and Catholic schools for Catholics. There are also Black only colleges and there have been studies to show that when we separate boys and girls, each group learns better that having a co-ed classroom. Thier learning enviornment is better because each group is not distracted by the other. Further still, there are other schools that spearate us, such as schools for Muslims. Personally, I think it is better that we spearate Muslims, Catholic, and the Jewish comunity. In Ame! rica, because we are more multi-cultrual and multi-ethnic, we need to learn toleration of each other, rather than force us to co-exist. I think it is OK to have a Catholic neighborhood and a Muslim neighborhood. We need to teach that racism has no place in our world, but we need to respect other religions and cultures and understand that we don't have to come together and form a single race, as one person stated. That person said, '...Mock my words, America will become one race in the not so distant future, a unified race that include all races. ' (dated 4/10/08) Frankly, that seems a little silly to me. For instance, I respect the Muslim religion and culture, but should not be expected to become one. Likewise, blacks should respect the white culture, but should not be expected to become white and listen to country music. We should be proud of are differences. Also, I should not be forced to speak spanish, German, or any lanuage that I don't want to speak. As a Jewish Am! erican I speak both English, and a little Hebrew. That is the ! language of my ancestors and I am pround of that. Again, although I respect, say, the hipanic culture, I am not hispanic and I will not speak spanish. Others have to respect that. "

04/10/2008:

"I think it's silly to even ask this question. The truth is, diversity is NOT a choice. This is an immigrant country...has been since the days of the Pilgrams. Like it or not, diversity IS America. That's how this country is founded and will become more diverse as time goes by. So, regardless of whether you think it's right or wrong, it's life. Deal with it! It's survival of the fittest and those who can't adapt to these changes will eventually be weeded out by society. So, tough luck for you folks who thinks diversity is a disease. In case you haven't picked up the paper in the last century, the American government is opening its borders and promising citizenship to anyone who has $500,000 to invest into Texas. So, welcome the world...Mock my words, America will become one race in the not so distant future, a unified race that include all races. "

04/10/2008:

"I must say that I'm one of the fortunate ones who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where multicultural experience surrounded my entire childhood. I grew up with many friends and collegues of different race, and I've learned quite a lot in working and living with people of different races. In high school, I took up Spanish and Chinese in college...and boy, am I thankful I did. After college, I landed some really great jobs handling accounts worldwide. Today, I'm making $600K+ a year, and I must say that my exposure to different races during my childhood and the ability to speak multiple languages are a big contributor to my success. Each time I'm at a client's site in China, they're eager to offer me a job with higher pay due mainly to my experience in the field AND my ability to speak their language fluently. So today, I put my 3 kids into the local Chinese school and they're also taking Spanish classes in school. The global economy is the future, so I know that! I'm doing what's best for my kids' future...I'm the perfect example. I feel sorry for those of you who think multicultural experience in school is a waste of time. Perhaps you'd rather keep your kids in your farm so they can raise cattle and plant corns like you. =)"

04/7/2008:

"My children do not need to be surrounded by the spanish speaking. We speak English here, and it would be nice if our country made it the nations official language."

04/7/2008:

04/1/2008:

"I am so sadden by many of the comments left regarding this article.So much so, I feel the purpose of the article has lost its meaning. If I can come up with one word that describes what I have read (and I have read them all today) it would be 'HATE'.I do not mean every feedback, but quite a few. It hurts to know my son will be raised in a country where, still, many Americans can be so cruel, and hypocritical. Without diversity there is no empathy, without empathy, there is no real peace both emotional and physically (war etc.)Let us remember empathy means to have identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives. How can anyone not want to begin to love, respect and help others from this perspective? More importantly, how can we not want our children to inherit a country that is filled with love and respect for all. Do you chose, hate and intolerance for you child? May God forgive you if you do! When I look into my son's eyes and think of th! is article, I fear, I almost cry...I DO NOT want him to suffer because of the fear and lack of understanding of others. He is such a beautiful person. For those of you who have children, do you not see beauty,kindness,curiosity, acceptance,trust,and LOVE in your child's face when he/she smiles, laughs, or just talks to you? Do you not believe you child will have something valuable to offer in this world? Don't you want others see these things in your children too? For the one who spoke about being bused to an all black school and how awful it was for you. I do empathize with you, I have walked in your shoes. One can chose to take the hard and unjust lessons they have learned in life and begrudge,ridicule, belittle and hate,or they give, encourage, build up and love. You see....I had your experiences in an all white school. At the time...I probably felt as you did, but I grew up in a home that taught diversity and that a race and or ethnic group does not determine the heart ! of any one person. I was taught to love, to pray, and be a bet! ter pers on myself, to treat others how I want to be treated. I would never want ANYONE to experience what I went through out of resentment of God's path for me. If any of you love God, how can you do so, and not want and encourage diversity?"

04/1/2008:

"To the poster from 3/28/08: You wrote: 'The spelling situation is an issue within this web-site. The site struggles with recognizing punctuation and will scramble the words. Why would you attack a young lady that has huge aspirations and goals, based on a typo or a system? Did you even understand her point? ' First of all, there is no issue with the system recognizing punctuation or 'scrambling' words. The issue is with the posters themselves. Students need to learn proper grammar and spelling, but unfortunately, these things are not emphasized in schools. Students today very often write emails, homework assignments and even college entrance essays in the same way that they 'text' (with lower case letters, abbreviations, etc.). How is this going to help them when they enter the real world of work? It's great that a young lady aspires to be a doctor, but first she needs to learn to communicate coherently. Communication skills are imperative for physicians (and practically everyone else in the workforce)! Therefore, I don't believe that the post from 3/6/2008 was an 'attack' as you state; it was merely a warning: schools need to emphasize proper communication skills or students will not be able to function in the real world!"

03/28/2008:

"To the 16 year old Puerto Rican man: My point is you DO speak two languages and my son dose not. Our school systems spend millions of dollars teaching Spanish speaking children English. They do not teach English children how to speak Spanish till High school and at that time it is an elective. If you ever look at a school budget you will see how many dollars go toward teachers, books and curriculum to teach English Efficient Learning. You will never be able to win your argument “You guys never tried to help” FYI: The Puerto Rico school system is administered by the Department of Education and has several levels of learning. The language used in the schools is Spanish, however, English is taught from kindergarten to high school as part of the school curriculum. Some private schools provide English where all classes are conducted in English except for the Spanish class. Here in America where you are and seem to like it, our system teaches English as a second language, because Hispanic children do not speak the language that our county was founded on. That was my point, can you get that? Your point was the same as the grade school boy, you typed” honestly I don’t care”, and that proves the point of diversity comes from separation. "

03/28/2008:

"To everyone that has posted comments on the diversity subject: Thank you, it is great to be able to have all walks of life be able to post their concerns and opinions. The spelling situation is an issue within this web-site. The site struggles with recognizing punctuation and will scramble the words. Why would you attack a young lady that has huge aspirations and goals, based on a typo or a system? Did you even understand her point? "

03/25/2008:

"Whether we are Nigerian, Scottish, Japanese, Mexican, we don't want to be forced to be with other cultures for extended periods of time. I agree with the last post, It is exactly like genocide in slow motion. It sounds like there are a lot of people on here who care about education and are waking up to all the crazy talk about diversity being a good thing. How did the white people end up white to begin with? The process that led to the emergence of white people would be called editing if you were a writer. Guys, we need to get back to editing."

03/25/2008:

"Diversity is not a good indoctrination. As a white student that was forced by busing to predominately black schools-I believe that my academic opportunities suffered-whereas my ability to learn to fight had to increase for survival. If not for my grandmother removing me from the school district I don't know where I would be. I truly felt sorry for the white girls who were constantly subjected to attacks from both the black boys and black girls."

03/25/2008:

"It is the second thing I look at next to testing scores and just before going to see the school in person. Diversity is far over rated, and it is the downfall of every country in history. I am moving out of the state of Georgia specifically to get my children into a less diverse, and higher testing, school system in another state. (Small sized schools are better as well) I have taught school K - College level. Cultures are different and those that have a history of supporting education are superior. "

03/25/2008:

"Diversity is important if you are a genocidal maniac with no concern for the future of civilization. Look at what has happened to this country because of forced cultural diversity through government programs. First you had white flight leaving our cities behind to rot. Then when that isn't working, you have private schools becoming more popular (downtowns are coming back to life, now that there are more private schools available and less busing), now related to that we have a move to take funding away from public schools and to eventually privatize the entire system (maybe not a bad move as the US department of education shouldn't exist in the first place. States should be the highest source of rules & funding, and even then that's not great.) Forced diversity has cost us more than the social security program and Medicare; It is the highest tax we pay today. Forced diversity has been ruining this country for a long time now. The cost of the oil it takes to live so far from each other is enormous, it has led us to wars for oil, and to build our entire 'civilization' ar! ound sprawl rather than good planning. Now we may event get a president based purely on his race (or lack thereof) with no thought given to his ability or track record. If you like having less intelligent presidents, and citizens, then keep adding to the 'diversity.' Real diversity comes from separation. Ask an artist sometime, when they mix paint too much they call it mud and toss it to the side."

03/24/2008:

"I am not in favor of blind diversity. It is a plague and a disease that insists there are no differences in people. That is a lie as there are clearly differences on all levels, cultural,social,religious as well as color. Yes, we do need to teach our children to love ALL thy neighbors. But, when we are blind to very real and sometimes problematic differences all in the name of being politically correct we open ourselves to a world of trouble."