Avoiding Intolerance and Discrimination in the Learning Community
Education in a Pluralistic Democracy
Although egalitarianism has often been espoused as one of the fundamental goals of democracy, it is obvious that social inequities in the United States have been continuously overlooked (Gollnick & Chinn, 1990, p. 22). Historically, minority groups and women have been subjected to institutional discrimination and barred from access to institutional mechanisms that foster the foundations toward equality (Gollnick & Chinn, 1990, p. 22). Fortunately, however, current political philosophy and rhetoric in the U.S. is moving away from the idea of an assimilationist melting pot toward an idea of cultural pluralism.
This newer philosophy advocates a view of society as a blend of diverse cultural, racial or religious groups who maintain their own identities while simultaneously sharing a larger common political organization, economic system, and social structure (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995, p. 17). For educational scholars and administrators, this new philosophy of cultural pluralism is most often aligned with a multicultural structure and curricula, in which the gender makeup and ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the society are reflected in educational institutions, including staff, norms, and values (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995, p. 17).
From an educational perspective, achieving a pluralistic democratic society that meets its ideal of equity and social justice is inextricably linked to the pedagogical practices of its educational institutions (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995, p. 19). An approach to teaching that meets the challenge of cultural pluralism and can contribute to the fulfillment of the purpose of higher education has to respect diversity and promote justice and diversity in society (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995, p. 19). However, the history of educational structure and school reform in the United States ...