On a basic level, multiculturalism is a “recognition and affirmation of the diversity of our society” (Bowman 1). The main point of multiculturalism in education is to ensure the acknowledgement and inclusion of all students and all cultures. However, on a deeper level, multiculturalism is a concept that “raises questions of privilege and disadvantage and encourages us to re-examine our assumptions about what is identified as positive or as the norm” (Bowman 1). Despite these sentiments, multiculturalism has suffered a backlash in public education of late, as educators and others worry that such an approach dilutes the “melting pot” nature of American democracy by thwarting assimilation.
I believe we need to adopt a multicultural approach to education. Multiculturalism is intimately associated with the politics of culture and education, because democracy and capitalism relate to the connection between “established – hidden and explicit – forms of social and political power, and democratic representation and participation with systems of political organization of public governance” (Torres 3). What this means is that the established, primarily European (white) values that are the established and taught in public education may exclude a host of diverse cultures, values and short-change them via a lack of representation and, therefore, power. For this reason public education needs to adopt a multicultural approach in order to help bring balance to power relations, values, and representation in modern democracies like the US.
Today, students of many races, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and economic situations makeup our public schools. Many individuals in favor of multiculturalism as an approach argue that such an approach helps foster an appreciation for other people and different cultures. According to a widespread survey conducted among public school students by Metropolitan
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