As I read over the articles associated with this blog assignment I found that the AFT website about child farmworkers in America struck me to have the most affect on diversity in the classroom. This perspective of immigrants both legal and illegal and how it will affect the classroom I will be teaching in is of great interest to me. I think it could potentially have a large bearing on diversity in the classroom.
First we are given many statistics about these immigrant children working on farms in America. I was shocked to see an estimated 150,000 to 1.2 million. Then again on a different page the information claimed that 500,000 were under the age of 18. That is a very broad window of estimation and seemingly inconsistent throughout the content of the website. If there are indeed 1.2 million children working on farms, I question who is insuring these children get an education? Another statistic was that most begin working by the age of eight. I can’t imagine asking an 8-year-old child to work 70 hours a week. And I question if this is an employer decision or something that a parent requires.
I am not necessarily sure I believe the facts presented by this website. I do realize there are children working in fields in America. However, I have questions about how they end up there. An organization called Human Rights Watched reported, “Children, like many adult farmworkers, typically earn far less than minimum wage, and their pay is often further cut because employers underreport hours and force them to spend their own money on tools, gloves, and drinking water that their employers should provide by law” (HRW, 2010). No child would be doing that unless the parents approved it. There are many other factors to consider in this scenario. I mainly want to look at how it will affect my classroom.
We first must consider if these children came out of the fields and into our classrooms, how we would handle insuring that they learn to a satisfactory level. I personally do
believe in providing every child with the opportunity to learn whether they are in this country legally or not. Sadly HRW also reported that children working under these conditions are 4 times more likely to drop out of school (HRW, 2010). I do question if as part of the immigration laws there should be some type of language class to pass before acquiring legal citizenship. This would help illuminate some of the issues this scenario presents.
One reason I believe that there are children in fields instead of the classroom is because they can’t speak the language. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for me to go to Guatemala and experience the culture shock and end up in school at the age of 8 not knowing anyone and getting through one day. That would terrify me. I certainly would never expect my child to do that. So I believe out of fear and because of the language barrier many children do what they can to help their family stay in America, they go to work. As a teacher I am not sure how you would try and bridge that communication gap. Perhaps with kindness and an on-line translator, we can ease the pain of it, but without formal language classes for children before they enter American schools I am not sure how we can hope to alleviate the problem of children not attending school and
working in these life-threatening conditions.
Then we see this issue compounded by the fact that many children have had no formal education and enter the school system at age 8 or older not knowing the language. How can we ever expect to catch them up to the American children in the classroom who have been going to school since age 4? It seems like an overwhelming situation for the students, parents and teachers.
The reform must go well beyond that proposed by the Department of Labor. I can’t understand why children working in agriculture would have less protective laws than children working in any other job (Reuters, 2011). That makes no sense! Realistically the reform can’t just be focused on the employers. This process begins with these children’s parents. Many of the parents are uneducated and do not speak English as well. The parents would have to be taught that school is best for the children. The farmers they work for will not insure they get any education, because when they do they will leave the farm for a better paying less labor-intensive job. The famers want them to keep working for them because Americans will not work under those conditions for those low wages.
This brings into my mind the party whom to which we must point, the consumers. As Americans we want good paying jobs that require very little work. We also like our time off and we need to be pampered with benefits. We want plenty of comforts and we want higher salaries and cheaper goods. The American demand for inexpensive fast food and groceries has forced the farmers to compromise their ethics and driven them to hire cheap laborers. All of this in the name of getting ahead.
We say we want a greener life-style, but we consume more. We say we want equality, but we really want to oppress those who are less-educated than ourselves. We say we want diversity in the classroom, but I am not convinced we do. As American consumers what we really want is comfort, convenience and ease. I do not think that the American education system is prepared for 1.2 million farm children to enter our schools. As a matter of fact I am pretty sure if only 500,000 showed up at school on Monday morning we would have a big problem.
Resources
American Federation of Teachers. (2007). In our own backyard: the hidden problem of child farm workers in America. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133319.
Human Rights Watch. (n.d.). US: Child farmworkers’ dangerous lives. Retrieved from http://www.hrw.org/node/90200.
Reuters. (August, 2011). U.S. seeks to strengthen safety rules for child farm workers. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-child-labor-idUSTRE77U6XB20110831.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Multiculturalism in Curriculum
Multiculturalism is not a new idea. However, it is now being worn as a crown and presented as a noteworthy character trait. In my opinion America has always been and will always be multicultural. I can see how the idea is one that needs to be opened, refined and reformed. If we reflect on peoples’ multicultural views, it easy to see that we as a culture have come a long way since the civil rights era. However, I can see room for improvement with better ideas of integration especially in the classrooms of America.
When I reflect on my education growing up I can remember that my circle of influence was predominately white. I am sad to say that the small town in which I grew up and many of my immediate family members were prejudice. I can clearly see however in just one generation a new way of thinking has emerged. I personally have always considered myself color-blind and I can say without a doubt that my children do not have racial issues. It is interesting that even though many of those black/white racial barriers have come down, there are still others that resurface and still other areas that need our attention.
The curriculum of our schools should reflect an overall cultural view of critical historical events. I am glad to see that there is a movement to rethink textbooks and how the information is transmitted. I really enjoyed the idea of spreading out multiculturalism throughout the curriculum as Adam Waxler suggested in his web article Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. I have often thought one way to really integrate current history with past history is bringing out current happenings on-going in historical sites from the past. So if you were studying Egypt and the pyramids, you would look it up on a current map and talk about what was going on in Egypt currently. Perhaps have students look up news articles in the last week from Egypt and find cultural influences from early Egypt in today’s Egypt. This makes all the information relevant and also gives perspective to the fact that there is still current Egyptian culture to be valued and respected.
History is not the only subject that can reach across cultural barriers. Various holidays throughout the year can give teachers ample opportunity to draw in other cultures. Knowledge is power and gives us the power to educate one another. If each student studies a different aspect of culture and shares with the rest of the class, then each student learns from another the value of a different culture. Being Americans automatically makes us multicultural whether we respect other cultures or not. We have many different cultures in our backgrounds. A family tree is another way to bring in various cultures and get parents involved in seeing that we truly are all diverse.
I divide from Waxler in that I see the value in having certain historical months where various groups are honored like Black history month or Women’s history month, because it does give us an opportunity to point out that these groups are worthy of recognition in history. However, I do agree with Waxler in that stitching a thread of multiculturalism throughout the curriculum really epitomizes the idea of melting the groups together. I have never liked the fact that the Revolutionary War is seen as great triumph for Americans, but we tend to overlook the fact that Native Americans were overtaken and forced into small plots of land we “gave” them. History always has more than one perspective and we must present it with an unbiased view to the best of our abilities.
According to the textbook there are many charter schools who have redirected their curriculums to be more focused on the culture of their choosing (Webb Metha, & Jordan, 2010, p. 356). I am not sure that is in the best interest of the children, because it is also a slanted view of society. You can try and integrate multiculturalism into the curriculum but the best way to teach it is to expose children to it either in word or by way of presenting diversity face to face. I think most textbook companies are making an honest effort to integrate many cultures into the text teacher are currently using in schools. I can definitely see a broader cultural curriculum than when I was in school.
I certainly think that as Americans we need things that also make us unified, a common ground to which we can all relate. E.D. Hirsch, Jr. points this out in his article Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School when he said, “[C]hildren need to have basic foundations and share common points of reference that will enable further learning.” The wheels of change turn very slowly, but I have certainly seen a big change in the curriculum, in people, and in American ideals about multiculturalism in my lifetime.
Resources
Hirsch, E.D., Jr. (1992). Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School. Retrievd from the Core Knowledge Foundations. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133313
Waxler, A. (n.d.). Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133312
Webb, L., Metha, A., Forbis Jordan, K. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed.). New Jersey: Merrill.
When I reflect on my education growing up I can remember that my circle of influence was predominately white. I am sad to say that the small town in which I grew up and many of my immediate family members were prejudice. I can clearly see however in just one generation a new way of thinking has emerged. I personally have always considered myself color-blind and I can say without a doubt that my children do not have racial issues. It is interesting that even though many of those black/white racial barriers have come down, there are still others that resurface and still other areas that need our attention.
The curriculum of our schools should reflect an overall cultural view of critical historical events. I am glad to see that there is a movement to rethink textbooks and how the information is transmitted. I really enjoyed the idea of spreading out multiculturalism throughout the curriculum as Adam Waxler suggested in his web article Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. I have often thought one way to really integrate current history with past history is bringing out current happenings on-going in historical sites from the past. So if you were studying Egypt and the pyramids, you would look it up on a current map and talk about what was going on in Egypt currently. Perhaps have students look up news articles in the last week from Egypt and find cultural influences from early Egypt in today’s Egypt. This makes all the information relevant and also gives perspective to the fact that there is still current Egyptian culture to be valued and respected.
History is not the only subject that can reach across cultural barriers. Various holidays throughout the year can give teachers ample opportunity to draw in other cultures. Knowledge is power and gives us the power to educate one another. If each student studies a different aspect of culture and shares with the rest of the class, then each student learns from another the value of a different culture. Being Americans automatically makes us multicultural whether we respect other cultures or not. We have many different cultures in our backgrounds. A family tree is another way to bring in various cultures and get parents involved in seeing that we truly are all diverse.
I divide from Waxler in that I see the value in having certain historical months where various groups are honored like Black history month or Women’s history month, because it does give us an opportunity to point out that these groups are worthy of recognition in history. However, I do agree with Waxler in that stitching a thread of multiculturalism throughout the curriculum really epitomizes the idea of melting the groups together. I have never liked the fact that the Revolutionary War is seen as great triumph for Americans, but we tend to overlook the fact that Native Americans were overtaken and forced into small plots of land we “gave” them. History always has more than one perspective and we must present it with an unbiased view to the best of our abilities.
According to the textbook there are many charter schools who have redirected their curriculums to be more focused on the culture of their choosing (Webb Metha, & Jordan, 2010, p. 356). I am not sure that is in the best interest of the children, because it is also a slanted view of society. You can try and integrate multiculturalism into the curriculum but the best way to teach it is to expose children to it either in word or by way of presenting diversity face to face. I think most textbook companies are making an honest effort to integrate many cultures into the text teacher are currently using in schools. I can definitely see a broader cultural curriculum than when I was in school.
I certainly think that as Americans we need things that also make us unified, a common ground to which we can all relate. E.D. Hirsch, Jr. points this out in his article Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School when he said, “[C]hildren need to have basic foundations and share common points of reference that will enable further learning.” The wheels of change turn very slowly, but I have certainly seen a big change in the curriculum, in people, and in American ideals about multiculturalism in my lifetime.
Resources
Hirsch, E.D., Jr. (1992). Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School. Retrievd from the Core Knowledge Foundations. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133313
Waxler, A. (n.d.). Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133312
Webb, L., Metha, A., Forbis Jordan, K. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed.). New Jersey: Merrill.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Diversity & Multiculturalism Entry #3
When I think of the term diversity I think of people being from different racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The term diversity makes me think of appreciating people’s differences. When I think of the term multi-cultural it gives me more of a factual feeling. People of different cultures coming together to represent a unified cause. Neither term threatens my Caucasian heritage or American decent.
When I read and reflected on the web articles presented in this Module I felt that all were based on extreme views. My personal views fall somewhere far from all three representation, but if I had to choose one article that I could most relate to it would be Why is Multiculturalism Wrong? I really think the more we focus on trying to include everyone with differences the further away we get from being inclusive. When we look at a person and derive any notions about them based on race, culture, religion, or ethnicity it is biased and in my opinion prejudice.
I think any view that pulls all the power from one side to the other is stealing the melting pot image that has always represented the American ideal. It will be impossible to incorporate every historical perspective fairly as stated in The Challenge of Multiculturalism. However we should strive to have each party represented as it is historically relevant. Unfortunately the multicultural ideas have forced more segregation as criticized by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, “Of course we must all respect differences , but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side” (Tyrrell, 2011). Europe is seeing similar problems trying to find the right balance for their government and school policy.
I find myself in my white heritage a bit disgruntled by Affirmative Action because it immediately categorizes people by race and gender. You have a better chance at getting this job not because you are smart and well-schooled, but because we have not hired a white girl this year. No thanks, I do not want my job because of my race or gender, but if it means my children can eat this week, then I will see you Monday morning. I think the very idea of forcing people to look at those attributes is a backward movement in and of itself. Paul Rockwell examined how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might have felt about Affirmative Action in his web article Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Rockwell commented, “King promoted affirmative action not as preference for race over race (or gender over gender), but as a preference for inclusion, for equal opportunity, for real democracy” (Rockwell, 1995).
I want to see people respected and valued because they are human beings not because they are minorities. Of course that may be easy for me to say because I am white and have not experienced any of the color based stereotypes. However, I am female and sought a career in a male dominated profession. I could feel all the slams and stereotypes thrown my way and I was well-aware of how it made me feel. I do not want to sound unsympathetic to the idea that we should include other people’s views and opinions. I do think that the less we look at differences the more we include people who have them.
I can remember feeling ashamed of how white Americans mistreated Native American and African Americans. I specifically remember coming home from 7th grade and telling my dad that I was ashamed to be a white person from the south. He looked at me and said, “We have never owned a slave. In fact, your great granddad was pistol whipped because his son fought for the Union.” This was a fact that was never pointed out in school.
As human beings we should look at history as an opportunity to learn and grow. As members of society we should respect one another and our differences. I can strive to teach my children to be educated in their heritage, but to strive to be color blind. As adults and leaders in the classroom we have the ability to transform student’s ideas subtly. Forcing any one belief or culture viewpoint is wrong. When we teach children that there is more than one way to look at things, it opens them up for accepting diversity and appreciating people who are not the same as they are.
My family recently moved from a predominantly white county to an even more predominately white county, unknowingly. My 11-year-old son has made comments about how racist his new school is. Where we lived previously was more integrated and accepting. I can hardly believe that he would be aware of this change in culture. I have taught him to be color blind and can now see that he has truly embraced that concept. I hope as a teacher I can help children of all backgrounds feel accepted and valued. Adults have to exemplify the concepts of acceptance we want to see in children.
Resources
National Planet. (n.d.). Why Multiculturalism is Wrong. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133307
Rockwell, P. (1995). Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Retrieved from http://academic.udayton.edu/race/04needs/affirm25.htm.
Taylor, S. (n.d.). The Challenge of Multiculturalism. The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133305.
Tobia, P. (February 23, 2009). Pitthissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism, and American Culture. Retrieved from the Nashville Scene. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133306
Tyrrell, R. (2011). Multiculturalism has Failed. Retrieved from the American Spectator. Retrieved from http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/17/multiculturalism-has-failed.
When I read and reflected on the web articles presented in this Module I felt that all were based on extreme views. My personal views fall somewhere far from all three representation, but if I had to choose one article that I could most relate to it would be Why is Multiculturalism Wrong? I really think the more we focus on trying to include everyone with differences the further away we get from being inclusive. When we look at a person and derive any notions about them based on race, culture, religion, or ethnicity it is biased and in my opinion prejudice.
I think any view that pulls all the power from one side to the other is stealing the melting pot image that has always represented the American ideal. It will be impossible to incorporate every historical perspective fairly as stated in The Challenge of Multiculturalism. However we should strive to have each party represented as it is historically relevant. Unfortunately the multicultural ideas have forced more segregation as criticized by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, “Of course we must all respect differences , but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side” (Tyrrell, 2011). Europe is seeing similar problems trying to find the right balance for their government and school policy.
I find myself in my white heritage a bit disgruntled by Affirmative Action because it immediately categorizes people by race and gender. You have a better chance at getting this job not because you are smart and well-schooled, but because we have not hired a white girl this year. No thanks, I do not want my job because of my race or gender, but if it means my children can eat this week, then I will see you Monday morning. I think the very idea of forcing people to look at those attributes is a backward movement in and of itself. Paul Rockwell examined how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might have felt about Affirmative Action in his web article Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Rockwell commented, “King promoted affirmative action not as preference for race over race (or gender over gender), but as a preference for inclusion, for equal opportunity, for real democracy” (Rockwell, 1995).
I want to see people respected and valued because they are human beings not because they are minorities. Of course that may be easy for me to say because I am white and have not experienced any of the color based stereotypes. However, I am female and sought a career in a male dominated profession. I could feel all the slams and stereotypes thrown my way and I was well-aware of how it made me feel. I do not want to sound unsympathetic to the idea that we should include other people’s views and opinions. I do think that the less we look at differences the more we include people who have them.
I can remember feeling ashamed of how white Americans mistreated Native American and African Americans. I specifically remember coming home from 7th grade and telling my dad that I was ashamed to be a white person from the south. He looked at me and said, “We have never owned a slave. In fact, your great granddad was pistol whipped because his son fought for the Union.” This was a fact that was never pointed out in school.
As human beings we should look at history as an opportunity to learn and grow. As members of society we should respect one another and our differences. I can strive to teach my children to be educated in their heritage, but to strive to be color blind. As adults and leaders in the classroom we have the ability to transform student’s ideas subtly. Forcing any one belief or culture viewpoint is wrong. When we teach children that there is more than one way to look at things, it opens them up for accepting diversity and appreciating people who are not the same as they are.
My family recently moved from a predominantly white county to an even more predominately white county, unknowingly. My 11-year-old son has made comments about how racist his new school is. Where we lived previously was more integrated and accepting. I can hardly believe that he would be aware of this change in culture. I have taught him to be color blind and can now see that he has truly embraced that concept. I hope as a teacher I can help children of all backgrounds feel accepted and valued. Adults have to exemplify the concepts of acceptance we want to see in children.
Resources
National Planet. (n.d.). Why Multiculturalism is Wrong. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133307
Rockwell, P. (1995). Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Retrieved from http://academic.udayton.edu/race/04needs/affirm25.htm.
Taylor, S. (n.d.). The Challenge of Multiculturalism. The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133305.
Tobia, P. (February 23, 2009). Pitthissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism, and American Culture. Retrieved from the Nashville Scene. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133306
Tyrrell, R. (2011). Multiculturalism has Failed. Retrieved from the American Spectator. Retrieved from http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/17/multiculturalism-has-failed.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Religion and Schools Entry #2
After reviewing the article Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up, I feel as though those who have no faith want to exercise their right to criticize those who do. The Separation of Church and State is always a public debate. This nation was founded on freedom and I believe the forefathers of this nation did not intend on any person being ridiculed for exercising their faith in public. Their idea of separation of church and state had more to do with the controlling power of religion and how it had been used to manipulate people and government in the history of the world. Furthermore, how could all men be equal if they were judged by their faith?
My personal faith leads me down a more inclusive path that says respect the views of others, which I feel a moment of silence does in schools. A silent moment can be used for anything and that at its core is where the beauty lies. I do not think religion should be woven into the curriculum of school, but I do not think we should limit the way people express their faith either. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Articles 17 and 18 “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” (1948). These are personal rights displayed in a public forum.
We talk about the differences in ethnicity and culture being respected and celebrated in schools. Yet we suppress the idea that it is okay to have differences in religion. The law makers have taken a broad look at this issue and blanketed the entire nation with rigid regulations that limit our freedoms as students and teachers. Many cannot be themselves because expressing their faith is part of who they are. Their faith shapes their values and philosophies. I think the focus is askew. We really should focus less on shutting up the religious and more on respecting the differences we all have. Our rights are to be different and be able to express those openly with regard to the rights of others.
Ultimately the big debate for many is prayer in school. The Supreme Court decided that it was wrong for school administrators to write and read prayers over the intercom in 1962. (Nettlehorst). Well I can say as a Christian and an American that I agree with this decision. I do not want just anyone influencing my children about religion. A good example is the prayer that was recently prayed at the Nashville Superspeedway by Joe Nelms. (Inav, 2011). While I am certain that there were many who found it funny, in my opinion his prayer was irreverent and I certainly would not want him influencing my children’s faith in jest, in school, at the race track or anywhere. This is a healthy boundary of freedom and a great example of why we need some boundaries.
There is always a spectrum of thought when debating a topic. You have those who are far in one direction or the other. Really the best representation is somewhere in between the two groups. You can look across history and see many who valued the separation of church and state with deep understanding and moderation. During the State of the Union Address to Congress in 1875 Ulysses S. Grant made a point of stating (as cited in Nettelhurst), “Declare church and state forever separate and distinct, but each free within their proper spheres…” (1897, pp. 4310). I possess the same opinions and I am entitled to my moment of silence. It will likely be the only moment of silence I get all day. It will make me a better teacher.
Resources
Calefait, J. (2009). Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up. Retrieved from US News. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133302.
Inav, T. (Poster). (July 23, 2011). NASCAR Pastor Prayer. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E8EYTyACQk.
Nettlehorst, R.P. Notes of the Founding Fathers and the Separation of Church and State. retrieved from Quartz Hill School of Theology. Retrieved from http://www.theology.edu/journal/volume2/ushistor.htm
United Nations General Assembly. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from United Nations Organization. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/.
My personal faith leads me down a more inclusive path that says respect the views of others, which I feel a moment of silence does in schools. A silent moment can be used for anything and that at its core is where the beauty lies. I do not think religion should be woven into the curriculum of school, but I do not think we should limit the way people express their faith either. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Articles 17 and 18 “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” (1948). These are personal rights displayed in a public forum.
We talk about the differences in ethnicity and culture being respected and celebrated in schools. Yet we suppress the idea that it is okay to have differences in religion. The law makers have taken a broad look at this issue and blanketed the entire nation with rigid regulations that limit our freedoms as students and teachers. Many cannot be themselves because expressing their faith is part of who they are. Their faith shapes their values and philosophies. I think the focus is askew. We really should focus less on shutting up the religious and more on respecting the differences we all have. Our rights are to be different and be able to express those openly with regard to the rights of others.
Ultimately the big debate for many is prayer in school. The Supreme Court decided that it was wrong for school administrators to write and read prayers over the intercom in 1962. (Nettlehorst). Well I can say as a Christian and an American that I agree with this decision. I do not want just anyone influencing my children about religion. A good example is the prayer that was recently prayed at the Nashville Superspeedway by Joe Nelms. (Inav, 2011). While I am certain that there were many who found it funny, in my opinion his prayer was irreverent and I certainly would not want him influencing my children’s faith in jest, in school, at the race track or anywhere. This is a healthy boundary of freedom and a great example of why we need some boundaries.
There is always a spectrum of thought when debating a topic. You have those who are far in one direction or the other. Really the best representation is somewhere in between the two groups. You can look across history and see many who valued the separation of church and state with deep understanding and moderation. During the State of the Union Address to Congress in 1875 Ulysses S. Grant made a point of stating (as cited in Nettelhurst), “Declare church and state forever separate and distinct, but each free within their proper spheres…” (1897, pp. 4310). I possess the same opinions and I am entitled to my moment of silence. It will likely be the only moment of silence I get all day. It will make me a better teacher.
Resources
Calefait, J. (2009). Religion in Schools Debate Heats Up. Retrieved from US News. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133302.
Inav, T. (Poster). (July 23, 2011). NASCAR Pastor Prayer. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E8EYTyACQk.
Nettlehorst, R.P. Notes of the Founding Fathers and the Separation of Church and State. retrieved from Quartz Hill School of Theology. Retrieved from http://www.theology.edu/journal/volume2/ushistor.htm
United Nations General Assembly. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from United Nations Organization. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Historical Perspectives Entry #1
After viewing the PBS link Education Innovators and the Gatto link The Real Makers of Public Schools I found that history speaks for itself in the focus of each person’s biography. The “Innovators” focused their efforts on the development of education and the “Makers” focused on industry. Each Innovator prioritized the development of education in their life’s work and seemed to focus more on the betterment of the education system overall. Whereas the Makers industry forced them to take an interest in education on different levels, but few personally took an active interest in their own education or the education of others. In my opinion the Makers making contributions to education had direct benefits for their investments, but only came as a result of their wealth.
When I read about all of the Innovators the one that struck me most was Horace Mann. Mann really paved the way for public education and started the slow wheels of change that brought about the system we currently have today. I am not certain that Mann would support all of the changes we have made, but feel that overall he wanted to see education be made available to everyone who had a desire to learn. I am sure that Mann would feel that the small steps he made were a foundation for the giant leaps that the other Innovators kept making over the decades that followed.
Although John D. Rockefeller founded a college, Andrew Carnegie, in my opinion was the Maker who made the biggest impact on education. After establishing his wealth, he really shifted his focus and gave away nearly 350 million dollars to see over 2,500 public libraries set up around the world. Although he did not tackle public education head on, he clearly desired to see people have access to a means of education through books.
I can sympathize with Gatto in that big businesses hold the key to the world. After all money does make the world go ‘round. Without people having jobs and generating income it is not possible to fund public education. However I see big business as the new slavery in that it drives peoples’ materialism and then enslaves them to work in the highest paying job instead of the field of education. Most people can’t satisfy their personal desires on an educator’s salary. Thus many feel enslaved to their high-paying industry job because of their mortgages and other self-inflicted monetary demands. Few people can bring themselves to be teachers because it simply does not pay enough.
America has come a long way in prioritizing education. Although not all intelligent people acquire an advanced education, I think everyone would agree that education opens doors and gives people more options. The economy we have been so blessed to build in this nation has helped fund public education and encourage further education for anyone who desires to pursue it. There is a delicate balance in an educated society between those who study, those who teach, and those who work to build the economy. I am thankful to have been born and lived in a time when education was available and encouraged; there are many people who have not had that same privilege.
When I read about all of the Innovators the one that struck me most was Horace Mann. Mann really paved the way for public education and started the slow wheels of change that brought about the system we currently have today. I am not certain that Mann would support all of the changes we have made, but feel that overall he wanted to see education be made available to everyone who had a desire to learn. I am sure that Mann would feel that the small steps he made were a foundation for the giant leaps that the other Innovators kept making over the decades that followed.
Although John D. Rockefeller founded a college, Andrew Carnegie, in my opinion was the Maker who made the biggest impact on education. After establishing his wealth, he really shifted his focus and gave away nearly 350 million dollars to see over 2,500 public libraries set up around the world. Although he did not tackle public education head on, he clearly desired to see people have access to a means of education through books.
I can sympathize with Gatto in that big businesses hold the key to the world. After all money does make the world go ‘round. Without people having jobs and generating income it is not possible to fund public education. However I see big business as the new slavery in that it drives peoples’ materialism and then enslaves them to work in the highest paying job instead of the field of education. Most people can’t satisfy their personal desires on an educator’s salary. Thus many feel enslaved to their high-paying industry job because of their mortgages and other self-inflicted monetary demands. Few people can bring themselves to be teachers because it simply does not pay enough.
America has come a long way in prioritizing education. Although not all intelligent people acquire an advanced education, I think everyone would agree that education opens doors and gives people more options. The economy we have been so blessed to build in this nation has helped fund public education and encourage further education for anyone who desires to pursue it. There is a delicate balance in an educated society between those who study, those who teach, and those who work to build the economy. I am thankful to have been born and lived in a time when education was available and encouraged; there are many people who have not had that same privilege.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Getting Started
I can tell today is Monday, because I have that deer in the headlights look in my eye as I tackle my first Graduate on-line class. The normal Monday to-do list just got monumentally longer. Funny how we can add things to our already over-flowing plate and somehow God gives us the grace we need to do one more thing. I am just hoping I do not hurt anyone, namely myself, during this process. I just thought I was a multi-tasker when I was flying airplanes. LOL I am going to need a clone to keep up with all this. Step one, let some things go that do not matter: the house work. No one will notice but me anyway.
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