How important is cultural diversity at your school?
Page 2 of 2
By GreatSchools Staff
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 ask why and find out what measures the school is taking to close the gap.
- Ask how the school addresses the needs of diverse students and if there are support programs available for students who are not meeting the standards. Ask if there is specialized instruction for students who are English language learners.
- Does the school have a cultural fair or assembly to highlight diversity? If not, work with your PTA or parent group to organize one.
- 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.
- Does your parent group reach out to parents of ethnically diverse students?
- 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."
Helpful books
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
Related Articles
Comments from GreatSchools.org readers
12/21/2009:
"I am a retired educator. I worked in the NYC city school system for more
than 30 years and saw the changes brought to us by No Child Left Behind.
I did not find that this law 'put pressure on schools to see that all
students succeed.' What I saw was that education became cookie-cutter
uniform, and that all students were expected to work and learn in the same
ways and achieve 'success' on standardized tests, regardless of their
learning differences, disabilities, or backgrounds. Alternative programs
that had formerly allowed students to succeed were scrapped. The concern
was more how your school would fare when compared to other schools--in
other words, what was your school's 'success rate.' If a child lagged
behind significantly or needed an alternative measure of achievement, the
child could be designated as an 'alternative assessment' student. This
designation removes the student from the standardized testing program
altogether. Once that designation is given to a !
student, the student is customarily given less-challenging work, and
therefore falls farther and farther behind each year. When the student
reaches high school, he/she is not part of the Regents Examinations
program, and so is not eligible to receive a high school diploma. Where
the student has the potential to reach grade-level work with extra help,
such a designation does that student a grave disservice. A student can be
given the 'alternate assessment' designation while in elementary school.
However, alternate assessment students take more effort to assess. The
teacher must assemble a portfolio of student performance, with strict
requirements set down by the city and state. Assembling this portfolio
takes such an additional amount of energy and time [as compared with
standardized testing] that many teachers do NOT seek alternate assessment
for students who need it desperately. Those students are left to struggle
on, taking the standardized tests time after time, while their needs are
not addressed.
No Child Left Behind has not created an atmosphere in which schools are
concerned about children being left behind. This measure has created
schools interested in measuring accountability and student performance on
tests alone, in crunching the numbers to see which schools 'pass the test'
of accountability. There have been instances of test results being fudged
or tampered with so that the students, and the school, will 'pass.' The
focus has become the test, not the student; and the result can be children
trained to take a test, children who are not well-educated.
I would like to see a school system where all sorts of skills are taught,
not just academic skills and test-taking. I would like to see schools
where students can choose from variety of offerings to find programs that
will fit their learning styles and interests. I would like to find
schools where a wide variety of students can find success, a success that
is not measured solely by an exam score. "
12/3/2009:
"The responses to the article are sad. When have we become so engulfed in
our own lives, that we would prefer children to become segregated again.
Wake up Americans and look around. The entire world is diverse. Stop being
so selfish, let children love, keep your segregation to yourself, it has
no place in public schools. God Loves All"
11/6/2009:
"Generally speaking, the more diverse the lower the test scores. I guess
we will have to change the tests"
11/2/2009:
"I'm a proud New Yorker paying $35,000 a year to spare my daughter the
blessings of diversity. So would 90% of white parents in majority
black/Hispanic school districts if they had the money. Why does 'Great
Schools' print the racial breakdown for every school it rates? So parents
can find the diversity they crave? I don't think so. "
10/8/2009:
"06/8/2009:
'Seriously?lol Somehow many of these readers equate diversity with 'BLACK'
people'
The readers do that? The local schools here are 90% black and it is the
local black school administration that refers to the schools as 'some of
the most diverse in the state'.
I used to live in a neighborhood where I had Indian, Puerto Rican and
Persian neighbors but was not considered 'diverse' until more black people
moved in.
Diversity = more black and less white. Flowery language and all the
misplaced good intentions in the world do not change that."
10/6/2009:
"Personally, I would love to live in an area where the people are just
educated. Educated does not need to equate to white or necessarily rich.
Educated refers to the fact that my kids will be understood and accepted
by their peers regardless of their looks or beliefs. As a practicing
Sikh, I wear a turban everyday and for the most part California is perfect
in terms of diversity and acceptance. I seem to see small differences
entering areas of orange county- where people seem to be educated, live in
highly acclaimed neighborhoods- but have the mindset of rednecks. This is
not a fun sight or something I am fond of. I'm 23 and have spent 22 years
in America- who is someone to decide what ethnicity I am. I am a Sikh,
but that is my religion which I can practice freely (Thanks America).
When I look at the diversity rating, I am hoping to see that its a LARGE
diverse population...it refers to all. Not just black or white.
Thanks!"
09/29/2009:
"Unfortunately the schools are catering to the ethnic groups over the
'white' kids as they refer to them, who are of course the problem to
overcome. I've had several younger children tell me they cry at school
because they feel left out in class as well as on the playground because
they don't speak Spanish. Why must you introduce politics into your
teachings? Making the children learn about how the Japanese felt about the
U.S.? Just more 'bad America' propaganda. And why do you expect American
children to make allowances for the 'ethnic' groups? I think you mean
white kids need to step aside for the other races. Shouldn't the kids all
be described as American? "
09/14/2009:
"It is very naive for anyone to accept Census Bureau demographic estimates
91 years into the future. There are too many variables that affect these
projections. Perhaps you are in too big of a hurry to see whites in the
minority. Many of us are very tired of having 'diversity' and
'multiculturalism' shoved down our throats. Watch out for the coming
backlash! "
09/8/2009:
"In order to increase diversity in NYC's school system, one would have to
bus white kids in, because trust me, they have become the minority
population in public schools. Also, most teachers think that giving a
class on Islam would be very enlightening to the students. Would they
devote one day to Christianity? Of course not. Our country is gone. The
President and Congress are doing everything possible to see that the
America that we once loved, is no more. The problem is, there's no where
to go, and our politician's no longer listen to the voice of the people.
Oh, and by the way, I humbly apologize for posting this in English. I
realize that that was a very insensitive thing of me to do, what with the
use English being so 'oppressive' and 'racist' to all the non English
speaking people."
09/1/2009:
"I seriously doubt that white people hate or even dislike others, simply
because of their skin color.
I personnally know 'a few' black people who are actually great, likable
people that I would trust with my life.
I believe that the problems between races are due to the actions,
attitude, general disrespect and dislike that many blacks have for whites.
'Birds of a feather flock together'.
Thats nature.
Forced integration for 'diversity' is basically useless to white and black
America.
I firmly believe that education has been damaged in this country, due to
integration and political correctness policies forced upon us by
government. "
08/14/2009:
"To the person who made the comment on 7/13/2009, the article is talking
about an education not the individual person. I, too am a Christian and
believe God has no respected person. Put the article in context, the
article is referring to the education of a child not the individual child.
To the comment on 7/27/2009, I am a teacher and found the article
nonoffensive. This generation is not hung up on black/white race like so
many seasoned adults."
07/27/2009:
"
Other than this article not using racially denigrating labels i find it
hard to imagine that it could be any more insensitive or insulting to
white students or their parents.
"
07/13/2009:
"I am praying that none of the commentors for segregated schools call
themselves christians. My Bible tells me that God has no respective
persons. That in his eyes, we are all the same- His perfect creations. For
anyone of you to treat or think students of color should be treated
differently b/c of his or her background/ethnicity is blasphemous! I pray
for your souls and thank God everyday that my children are covered by the
blood of Jesus! Thankful that He protects them from such wickedness."
06/8/2009:
"Seriously?lol
Somehow many of these readers equate diversity with 'BLACK' people. The
word diversity is simply the inclusion of many different types of people
(in this case, probably ethnically). I don't understand how some think
this is 'an evil plan.' I sooo don't want to run into those guys in a dark
alley. The world is diverse, why would you want to live in blind
ignorance? I have had the opportunity to hob nob with so many different
types of people and am so much WISER and well versed for it. I have
LEARNED so much and the most important and awe inspiring thing that I have
learned is that we are so much more ALIKE than we think. When you live in
a tight little box there is no room for light, no room for growth. This is
clearly alright for some, but if it is...it is YOU who have the problem.
Yes, YOU. Close your eyes for a moment and breath...slow down and
understand that the world is not out to get you. Diversity is beautiful
and CAN enrich. Oh, and did you know that SCIENTIFICALLY t!
here is NO SUCH THING as race? You are more likely to have large genetic
differences with someone who is short Vs. tall than someone who has brown
skin Vs. tan. All of these 'reasons' people are coming up with to DIVIDE
AND CONQUER (I crack myself up) stem from enviornmental issues...not
biological ones!!"
06/8/2009:
"Diversity in public schools is direly needed! All our children can learn
many different things from each race. When there is an open discussion in
class would you really want to only hear one white kids opinion? Wouldnt
you rather hear an opinion from both sides of the coin? Its a great
opurtunity for our children to learn about all cultures. What better way
to really learn history when you can have a discussion about what you
learn then really being able to talk to the child whose family lived a
certain way at one point in time? Having a school where whites, blacks,
asains, europeans and hispanics play together and learn together is so
wonderful. They will learn different values and customes from each other.
I have teo mixed (black/ white) children and i am proud to know that they
dont see people in color, that they see them for the people they are. If
all of us could look through a childs eyes, we would be VERY suprised to
see how they see the world in such an honest non b!
iased way.
I am for a diverse schhol system!!!"
05/28/2009:
"Im a 13 year old girl and i attend a new school in a new district. It is
very different to me. Everything about it is different for example its a
95% white 2% african-american and the rest other. Im an African-American
and im from the city, now living in the Suburbs. I don't really fit in nor
do i like it. I hate it and I always complain about how diffrent their
lifestyle is. Well it's just very hard and frustrating for me right now!!"
05/27/2009:
"Useless drivel. The concept that diversity equals strength in a farce.
Quit drinking the Kool-aid and see that parents are paying good money to
keep their kids away from the ghetto migration that has been plaguing this
country for sometime. I grew up in your 'diverse' schools and I worked
like heck to make sure my son doesn't have to go through the sames things
I did. When does it end? When whites are finally dropped to minority
status and told their way of life is not the future will we then begin to
get the same kind of protection afforded to minorities now? I doubt it. "
05/15/2009:
"Hello! May 14th, 2009
My name is Keri Phipps and I am very proud to say that I have 2 precious
children; a son who is currently finishing up the 1st grade, and a
daughter who is finishing Kindergarten. My husband and I were so blessed
to have adopted both of them from Guatemala City, Guatemala. They are 100%
biological siblings who are only a year and 10 days apart.
We are considering moving up to Kensington, NH from Essex, MA. We are
primarily focusing on this town in southern NH because Kensington
Elementary school got a 10 out of 10 rating from GreatSchools. My biggest
concern however, is that the school has almost no cultural diversity. It
is @ 97% white, and @ 3% asian or other. I am concerned that although my
children are very comfortable with their ethnicity, as well as the color
of their skin, other children may not be so tolerant. I do not want them
to be singled out or labeled as 'different' because of the color of their
skin, yet we want them to receive the best education possible. Do you have
any suggestions as to how, as a parent, I can make the transition easier
for them and how to help them 'fit in' to a school where they will be a
definite minority?! I would truly appreciate any feedback you have to
offer! Thank-You so much!
Fondly, Keri M. Phipps"
05/7/2009:
"I think it's hilarious that Churches in the United States are even less
diverse than the public school system, but no one hardly ever mentions that
little statistic. Diversity should not be forced, just like racism or racial
superiority should not be taught or passed down through the generations.
However, if a minority has the skills and education to participate, they
should be allowed to do so, if they desire, without opposition based on
their skin color or ethnic background. If people lived by the Golden Rule
'Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you' we would hardly have
any problems in diverse or homogenous societies. To address the comments
posted by people bashing the President for sending his kids to private
schools, simply look at the percentage of anyone making over $500K per year
that send their kids to public schools. You will find that it is very low.
Who was the only conservative presidential candidate with a personal
endorsement from Ronald Wilson Re!
agan? It was Alan Keys! It was not John McCain, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul or
any other republican candidate! Rush Limbaugh even apologized on air after
stating there were no Reaganesque conservative candidates. Had Rush
Limbuagh and Sean Hannity endorsed Alan Keyes instead of John McCain
(someone they have vehemently disagreed with for years) we would probably
have a Christian conservative that’s pro-life, pro-military, anti-illegal
immigration, anti-affirmative action, and pro-capitalism as our president.
Alan Keyes just happens to be of African American decent. Instead this
country got a democratic president, because of the resistance to diversity
within the Republican Party, even though the republicans had a highly
qualified Reagan endorsed candidate in their mist. So do you still think
diversity does not matter?"
04/27/2009:
"i disgree with diversity schools 100%
yet have to do what YOU thank is right. god help us and our children"
04/17/2009:
"School is for learning. Diversity is a code word by liberal educators for
brain washing children. Diversity, as learned by people at their own pace,
is fine. But forcing the issue is not fine. Again, school is for learning:
English, Science, Mathematics, History. If children learn these
essentials, they will be fine with whatever comes their way. "
04/7/2009:
"Diversity is great? Diversity is our strength? Really? Interesting. Having
nothing in common is good? Are families more successful when everybody is at
odds with each other and kids do whatever they want? Are communities
“better� when everybody has a different value system? Gay couples,
language barriers, Muslims, single-moms, Orthodox Jews, Whites, and Blacks
living on the same street…how does that make the neighborhood better? Yes,
it’s diverse but it’s not better.
China’s unprecedented ascension, India’s ascension, Japan’s Empire and
intellectual dominance, The Persians, the ancient Greeks, the Roman Empire,
the Vikings, the pre- 20th century Spanish (the real Europeans-not
Amerinds), Russia, Hitler’s Germany and renowned engineering, and America
prior to diversity and sensitivity training…what do they all have in
common? They’ve dominated the world but they were “not� diverse.
Interesting. Why are they great? Because they are homogenous, that’s why.
You may lie and say America’s diverse but up until WW2 America was 90%
European Christian. Let’s see if today’s “diverse� America will be
an economic and military superpower in 40 years.
Diversity is the lie that liberals keep ranting about. America’s
educational system gets worse each year despite growing more diverse. Look
at the dropout rates and crime in diverse schools. Look at the extra costs
of bilingual education. According to TIMSS reports on math and science
achievement, diverse America barely even makes the top 15 despite spending
more than any other country. Of the top 20 nations, 19 are 90-98%
homogenous. Singapore, Japan, and China rank at the top every year. Are they
diverse? On the other hand, highly diverse Brazil didn’t even break the
top 50. Third world immigrant rich Canada didn’t even make the top 20.
That’s all the proof you need that diversity is the biggest lie of the
21st century.
Put a lid on it.
"
04/2/2009:
"I assume that some of you that are harping on the homogeneous horse,
regarding other countries and education, have made attempts to ponder
possible factors excluding race and/or ethnicity. Maybe one could examine
religion and/or the way in which the country is governed. Societal, not
race, dynamics also play a role in education. I sincerely hope, that the
segregation comments, are not being made by people whose 'American'
forefathers, were themselves, European IMMIGRANTS; responsible for the
physical placement of some and by no plan of their own, created a gumbo of
people that paved the way for an influx of all migration to the UNITED
STATES. This country hasn't been homogeneous since it was owned by Native
Americans. If this country were still one race, unless you're Native, you
wouldn't be American. Remember, all that you hold dear about this country
was/is built and grown on soil, fertilized with the blood and sweat, of
the natives and EVERY foreigner to this country whe!
ther some of you choose to acknowledge that fact or not. So please, don't
dare sit on your glass pedestal, look down your nose and play the blame
game regarding our children or anything else. WE ARE ALL COLLECTIVELY
RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING IN OUR SOCIETY AND ALL THAT IT ENCOMPASSES!"
04/2/2009:
"I feel it is vital that my daughter understand different culturals.My
daughter comes from a mixed background, but is raised by myself and i am
Caucasian. I feel she needs to experience all things in life from every
point of view possible..it will help mold her into the person she wants to
become."
03/12/2009:
"To the person for post on 3/5: You can lead the horse to water, but you
can't make them drink. If a student (and their parents) have ideals and
beliefs that it is Okay to be gangsta...than gangsta that student will be.
As Obama recently said about our American education system, the
responsibility does not lay with just the school, teacher or district, it
lays with parents. Parents are the ones to ask their children if they have
done their homework...it is parents who must take the leadership to provide
encouragement...it is parents who will punish their children when they act
up. Why are Asian families so successful? It’s because of strong parent
involvement. That's a fact...look it up. If parents do not have the
fortitude to want their children do better...or if they do nothing at all to
help and encourage their children to stay away from drug use or to stay away
from gangs...they will end up serving us at Taco Bell, or even better,
fillng up our jails. To all the parents!
out their-if your kids use drugs, you should go to jail with them."
03/12/2009:
"If diversity is so great, why is there an inverse relationship between
diversity and school performance? Even when economics are taken into
account, diverse schools are the worst. That's why diversity loving
liberals send their kids to private schools instead of a more diverse
public schools when they can afford it."
03/12/2009:
"I'm reading this article for a class project in graduate school and am
shocked and amazed at the ignorance of most of the comments left. How
this article relates to where the President sends his children or why the
states of the South had slaves is beyond me. WAKE UP PEOPLE! Regardless
of your ethnic background, our children are what's important. Teach them
so that they can compete in the world around them. The world is not
segregated! Eventually, your child will come in contact with someone from
a different race, culture, and creed and keeping them isolated for fear of
a diverse educational setting is selfish and ignorant. Grow up and think
about someone else for a change."
03/5/2009:
"It's a sad state of affairs to see how illiterate the people who are
writing the statements must be! Now just where did you get your
education? Post-graduate degrees? Oh, please, just teach our children!"
03/3/2009:
"On 2/10/09 a person wrote, 'My point is, that RACE is not always a key
factor in education. Everyone is capable of learning when provided with
the proper tools to thrive and diversity does not directly affect a childs
ability to learn in a negative manner.' That my friends is a smart person.
Just look at societies that are homogeneous such as China, Japan, Mexico,
Spain, Iran, Turkey, India, and so on. Because these country's are
homogeneous, this does not their children learn more or less than folks in
America. In other words, diversity makes no difference in whether school
children will be more apt to learn. Otherwise, if diversity was a factor,
why is the U.S. falling behind in math and science with country's like
China, Japan, and India? In short, 'Everyone is capable of learning when
provided with the proper tools.' So diversity should not be the focus for
our children, maybe its our ideals. No more gangsta cloths in schools-no
more getting out of your seats-with strict!
er enforcement-parents must be held accountable."
02/23/2009:
"If diversity is so great, then why doesn't our great leader, Barrack
Obama, send his kids to the 'diverse' D.C. public schools? Maybe it is
because he doesn't want his daughters cussing, dressing gangsta, getting
pregnant or smoking weed."
