Multicultural Education for a Diverse AmericaMulticultural Education for a Diverse America3rd Edition3rd Edition
ByByKent L. KoppelmanKent L. Koppelman
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How does the federal How does the federal government government PROMOTEPROMOTE pluralism pluralismPresident Kennedy’s executive President Kennedy’s executive order called for order called for “affirmative “affirmative action”action” in hiring for federal jobs in hiring for federal jobs
The The Civil Rights Act of 1964Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated that employers who had mandated that employers who had federal contracts had to develop federal contracts had to develop plans with hiring goals plans with hiring goals demonstrating commitment to demonstrating commitment to hiring women and minoritieshiring women and minorities
How do detractors How do detractors OPPOSEOPPOSE pluralism pluralism
Critics say affirmative action Critics say affirmative action has produced has produced “reverse “reverse discrimination”discrimination”
White male applicants claim White male applicants claim they are rejected in favor of they are rejected in favor of less qualified applicants who less qualified applicants who are women or people of are women or people of colorcolor
What changes What changes illustrate illustrate PROGRESSPROGRESS toward pluralismtoward pluralism
A 1995 study by the National A 1995 study by the National Employment Lawyers Employment Lawyers Association reported that Association reported that affirmative actionaffirmative action had: had:
What What CHALLENGESCHALLENGES to to pluralism need to be pluralism need to be addressedaddressed
• Affirmative action plans must not Affirmative action plans must not appear to establish appear to establish racial quotasracial quotas (e.g., the Bakke case, City of (e.g., the Bakke case, City of Richmond case) Richmond case)
Courts have consistently ruled Courts have consistently ruled against such plansagainst such plans
• California passed California passed Proposition 209Proposition 209 in in 1996 ending affirmative action in 1996 ending affirmative action in the statethe state
Other states (e.g., Oregon) have Other states (e.g., Oregon) have passed or are considering similar passed or are considering similar legislationlegislation
How do advocates How do advocates PROMOTEPROMOTE pluralism pluralism
• Colleges and universities Colleges and universities aggressively aggressively recruit recruit students and students and faculty of color because they faculty of color because they believe diversity enhances the believe diversity enhances the education of ALL studentseducation of ALL students
• Curricular changesCurricular changes have tended to have tended to be more inclusive of the be more inclusive of the experiences of women and people experiences of women and people of colorof color
How do detractors How do detractors OPPOSEOPPOSE pluralism pluralism
Critics say…Critics say…
• students of color are students of color are admitted to colleges who are admitted to colleges who are less qualifiedless qualified than white than white students who are not students who are not admittedadmitted
• the influence of the influence of “multiculturalism” in the “multiculturalism” in the curriculum has resulted in curriculum has resulted in diminished academic rigordiminished academic rigor
What What CHALLENGESCHALLENGES to to pluralism need to be pluralism need to be addressedaddressed
• Students of color are often Students of color are often stigmatizedstigmatized on campuses as white on campuses as white students assume that they were students assume that they were accepted because of affirmative accepted because of affirmative actionaction
• Courts will rule against colleges Courts will rule against colleges and universities if their and universities if their affirmative action plans give the affirmative action plans give the appearance of establishing appearance of establishing racial racial quotasquotas (e.g., the University of (e.g., the University of Michigan case)Michigan case)
How do advocates How do advocates PROMOTEPROMOTE pluralism pluralism
• Advocates have used anti-Advocates have used anti-discrimination laws to bring discrimination laws to bring lawsuitslawsuits against corporations that against corporations that were perceived to discriminate were perceived to discriminate against women or people of coloragainst women or people of color
• Successful lawsuits resulted in Successful lawsuits resulted in large cash awardslarge cash awards that motivate that motivate corporations to monitor their corporations to monitor their practicespractices
Corporate and Small Corporate and Small BusinessBusiness
How do detractors How do detractors OPPOSEOPPOSE pluralism pluralism
• Anti-discrimination lawsuits Anti-discrimination lawsuits suggest that many suggest that many employers employers reject diversityreject diversity and continue and continue to favor white males in hiring to favor white males in hiring and promotion decisionsand promotion decisions
• Critics insist that employers Critics insist that employers should only have to hire and should only have to hire and promote the promote the best qualifiedbest qualified candidates regardless of candidates regardless of gender or racegender or race
What What CHALLENGESCHALLENGES to to pluralism need to be pluralism need to be addressedaddressed
• Many managers of color believe Many managers of color believe that managerial that managerial assignments are assignments are influenced by raceinfluenced by race
• Many employees of color believe Many employees of color believe they have to they have to work harderwork harder than than their white peers to be respectedtheir white peers to be respected
• Women constitute almost half of Women constitute almost half of those in managerial positions, but those in managerial positions, but there appears to be a there appears to be a “glass “glass ceiling”ceiling” allowing few to be allowing few to be promoted to top managementpromoted to top management
How do advocates How do advocates PROMOTEPROMOTE pluralism pluralism
Mass media is Mass media is committed to committed to diversitydiversity as evidenced by as evidenced by increased representation of increased representation of people of color:people of color:
• in news programs in news programs
• in television in television programmingprogramming
What changes What changes illustrate illustrate PROGRESSPROGRESS toward pluralismtoward pluralism
• Positive imagesPositive images of people of of people of color and other groups (e.g., color and other groups (e.g., Levi’s wheelchair ad) appear to Levi’s wheelchair ad) appear to promote positive perceptions by promote positive perceptions by viewersviewers
• Of all students Of all students majoring in majoring in journalismjournalism or mass or mass communicationcommunication, 61% are women , 61% are women and 27% are students of color and 27% are students of color (predicted to be 40% in 2035)(predicted to be 40% in 2035)
What What CHALLENGESCHALLENGES to to pluralism need to be pluralism need to be addressedaddressed
• Media jobs behind the camera Media jobs behind the camera are still largely held by white are still largely held by white employeesemployees
• Programs still tend to be Programs still tend to be segregated segregated with token minority with token minority characterscharacters
• Shows featuring actors of color Shows featuring actors of color are limited primarily to are limited primarily to cable cable networksnetworks (e.g., BET) (e.g., BET)
How do advocates How do advocates PROMOTEPROMOTE pluralism pluralism
• The army’s 16-week The army’s 16-week race race relations training programrelations training program is is equivalent to 23 undergraduate equivalent to 23 undergraduate college creditscollege credits
• All branches of the military have All branches of the military have aggressive aggressive affirmative actionaffirmative action policies for recruitment and policies for recruitment and promotionpromotion
How do detractors How do detractors OPPOSEOPPOSE pluralism pluralism
• Critics contend that women Critics contend that women should be given should be given limited limited rolesroles in the military; in the military; particularly, they should particularly, they should have no roles in combat have no roles in combat
• Critics contend that there is Critics contend that there is no place for gays and no place for gays and lesbianslesbians in the military in the military
What changes What changes illustrate illustrate PROGRESSPROGRESS toward pluralismtoward pluralism• The military was previously The military was previously
racially segregated, but that is racially segregated, but that is no longer trueno longer true
• Prior to the volunteer army, Prior to the volunteer army, women represented less than women represented less than 2% of recruits (90% had medical 2% of recruits (90% had medical or administrative assignments)or administrative assignments)
Today one 1 in 5 army recruits Today one 1 in 5 army recruits is is female female and half of them are and half of them are African-AmericansAfrican-Americans
What What CHALLENGESCHALLENGES to to pluralism need to be pluralism need to be addressedaddressed
• Gender discriminationGender discrimination (e.g., 66% (e.g., 66% of female Air Force Academy of female Air Force Academy cadets experienced discrimination)cadets experienced discrimination)
• Most female soldiers want Most female soldiers want combat combat assignmentsassignments (they are supported (they are supported by 60% of ROTC cadets and 53% of by 60% of ROTC cadets and 53% of civilians, but opposed by 62% of civilians, but opposed by 62% of military leaders)military leaders)
• Gay men and women continue to Gay men and women continue to demand the opportunity to be demand the opportunity to be openly gayopenly gay and still serve in the and still serve in the militarymilitary
What is the future What is the future for for DIVERSITYDIVERSITY in the in the United StatesUnited States
• In the beginning, Americans In the beginning, Americans chose the motto chose the motto “e pluribus “e pluribus unum,”unum,” which means which means “out of “out of the many, one”the many, one”
• Many states came together to Many states came together to create one nationcreate one nation
• Today, the challenge is to Today, the challenge is to bring diverse groups together bring diverse groups together to form one nation to form one nation while while maintaining multiple maintaining multiple perspectivesperspectives
