On Tolerance and Equality in Schools

As Americans, we currently live in a time and place inwhen students desire it just as much as the teachers
which cultural, ethnic, and economic differences fromand other educational leaders.
one person to another are so unmistakable that evenAlso important is a teacher's sincere desire for
the blind are surely aware of them. Because of theseempathy toward his students, especially for those who
times, institutions must respond to the situation withcome from a background very different from their
creativity, humility, and understanding. Institutions ofown. For example, the Latino population in North
education are of particular importance because theyCarolina has exploded in public schools, and will only
lay the foundations upon which future institutions willcontinue to do so. In fact, 57.3 percent of the growth in
form. While the task seems confusing at first, therethese schools comes from Latino students alone.
are indeed many steps which can be taken to(Cortina) This means that teachers must be vigilant
address the situation both on a large scale, and all theregarding the population of certain minorities in their
way down to individual classrooms and evenclassroom.
interactions between two people. The following willIn other words, when more than 20 percent or so of
address both good and bad practices that schools orthe students in a classroom are of the same minority
school systems can invoke, as well as some practicesbackground, it would serve the instructor very well to
which would be useful in a math or science classroom.at least invest 30 minutes occasionally toward really
It is interesting that when I was younger, I was alwaysunderstanding who they are and what their situation is.
taught that Brown vs. Board was the end ofThis could mean interviewing a student, doing some
segregation in schools. While this is true on paper,research online, or being aware of the local programs
segregation still (and arguably always will) exist inoffered for these students. One of the first ways to
schools to at least some degree. Therefore, thehelp these students is by gaining their trust, and what
responsibility of fairness and integration falls upon thebetter way to do so than by being familiar with a
schools themselves, and many have embraced thisMexican student's hometown, traditions, and perhaps
challenge with open arms. For example, in the Northlanguage before she even tells you about it?
Carolina Standard Course of Study for a world historyIt is also crucial for teachers to communicate with
class, objective 6.02 explicitly states that studentsparents in order to gain insight regarding a student's
should, "analyze causes and results of ideas regardingbackground. Indeed, there are some situations which
superiority and inferiority in society and how thoseperhaps even the student is unaware of that are
ideas have changed over time." When teachers areaffecting his education, and this information can only be
not only encouraged but required to teach aboutobtained from the parents. (Plastino) This makes
diversity and inequality, it changes their approach.parents an important ally especially for minority
Rather than having ideas about diversity simply existstudents, because parents are capable of providing
as something in the background that might by chanceinstruction that is completely culturally comfortable for
come up, it is instead pushed front and center in muchtheir student, while teachers are forced to adjust and
of the curriculum of today. This is crucial, because ittry to fit the needs of everyone at the same time.
must be remembered that true fairness will exist only