Critical Multiculturalism

[mommas_boy]

Hi. Today, I had a preliminary job interview for a teaching job starting in the fall at a school called Multicultural Arts School (MAS for short). The school is unique to say the least, one of four schools within the [url="http://www.lvlhs.org"]Little Village-Lawndale Campus[/url] on the Southwest side of Chicago. The school was actually founded as the product of a [url="http://hungerstrike.blogspot.com/2001_05_27_archive.html#3878518"]19-day hunger strike[/url], which is pretty cool.

Anyway, in the interview today, I was handed a sheet of paper detailing an essay that I have to write. One of the topics that must be addressed in the essay is how my understanding of Critical Multiculturalism affects my teaching. They are looking for not only an awareness of multiple cultures on my part, but also for practices within my classroom that I will incorporate to encourage the growth of this awareness in my students (the multicultural part), that also incites students to question and challenge historical and current domination (the critical part).

Clearly, the school is very leftist, and as a devout Catholic who places obedience to Sacred Tradition as paramount, I must tight-rope walk. While I am unsure of where the ideas of Critical Multiculturalism might venture into heresy, I recognize it as harmonious and concordant with other liberal belief structures that do end up being heretical. Now, please notice that subtlety in this next statement: the very best heresies, the ones that lead the most people astray, are ones that base their philosophies off of ideas that are fundamentally good and true. Humanism, for instance, bases its ideas off of the precept that human people are important, which is good; but falls when it begins to make assertions that humans are ALL that is important, and that there is no God but man. It is at this point that Humanism stops being a secular platitude, and starts being an atheistic or androtheistic heresy. Similarly, I believe that the idea of critical multiculturalism is based off of some pretty good ideas, but I am unsure how it stands up on further inspection.

So my questions for you:
[list=1]
[*]Please define your understanding of "critical multiculturalism" so that we all know that we are talking about the same thing. Also, I'm not so certain that my understanding of the term is as advanced as I would like, and so the discussion should be helpful.
[*]Please list any strengths that you are familiar with in regards to the term.
[*]Please list any weaknesses / areas of worry that you are aware of.
[/list]
To be honest, I'm not so much interested in a secular philosophical treatment, as I am concerned about what some of the theological rough spots might be.

Thank you for your help.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Wow...I have a good friend in Chicago who is teaching reading comprehension this summer in what I believe is an inner-city school...I just find it funny how close this seems to his situation.

God bless,

Micah

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='Raphael' post='1549739' date='May 30 2008, 04:59 PM']Wow...I have a good friend in Chicago who is teaching reading comprehension this summer in what I believe is an inner-city school...I just find it funny how close this seems to his situation.

God bless,

Micah[/quote]

Hi Micah,

Thanks for the reply. Any idea which school he's at? Also, you mentioned that "the situations are close", could you clarify what you mean by that?

Thanks, and Pax Christi!

[Winchester]

It means not flying planes into buildings belonging to other cultures.

[FreeSoul]

Hello

I live in Toronto, Canada easily one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

To my knowledge multiculturalism is understanding that diversity is good, and understanding that we all have the right and freedom to our beliefs, practices and way of life. We respect these practices, beliefs, etc. even when we do not agree. This makes our schools stronger.

Multiculturalism in Canada is a part of who we are. We claim our root heritage first, but we always remain canadian (Chinese-Canadian, African-Canadian, Italian-Canadian).

In Toronto schools there is a place for everyone. The board looks at materials to see that everyone is represented. For instance on forms you can not have signatures for 'mother' and 'father' this isolates children that are not in traditional nuclear families, single parent homes, etc. This would not mean that you have to support same-sex relationships, but the ultimate dynamic is one of inclusion beyond tokenism. [i]There should be no theological conflict for you because you are not obliged to believe or adopt anything - but you will be expected to respect these families in the school environment. [/i]So that's is an example.

[url="http://www.tdsb.on.ca/pandp/ppdocs/docs/P/P037%20CUR.pdf"]http://www.tdsb.on.ca/pandp/ppdocs/docs/P/P037%20CUR.pdf[/url]

The above is a sample of how this equity policy in applied at the public board, I am sure the Catholic board is no different, infact, I think I remember forms just saying 'parent/guardian', back in the day when I was a student. lol

Edited May 30, 2008 by FreeSoul

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='FreeSoul' post='1549753' date='May 30 2008, 05:09 PM']...

In Toronto schools there is a place for everyone. The board looks at materials to see that everyone is represented. For instance on forms you can not have signatures for 'mother' and 'father' this isolates children that are not in traditional nuclear families, single parent homes, etc. This would not mean that you have to support same-sex relationships, but the ultimate dynamic is one of inclusion beyond tokenism. [b]There should be no theological conflict for you because you are not obliged to believe or adopt anything - but you will be expected to respect these families in the school environment. [/b]So that's is an example.[/quote]

Sounds cool. The bolded sounds like straight Catholic doctrine in terms of what one should do.

[quote][url="http://tdsbweb/webdocuments/Mission_Values/docs/TDSBStyleGuide_Bias&Inclusion.pdf"]http://tdsbweb/webdocuments/Mission_Values...p;Inclusion.pdf[/url]

The above is a sample of how this equity policy in applied at the public board, I am sure the Catholic board is no different, infact, I think I remember forms just saying 'parent/guardian', back in the day when I was a student. lol[/quote]

Link is broken.

Edited May 30, 2008 by mommas_boy

[Era Might]

Multiculturalism is sometimes a mask for relativism. You could write a good, theologically sound essay about how truth is at the center of authentic multiculturalism. As a teacher, you are in the business of truth. You are also in the business of reaching students where they are, and getting them to think, but without compromising the truth. Just as you would approach teaching a 5 year old differently from a 15 year old, so you can approach students from different cultures in different ways, to put things into a context which they can understand. For the second part of the essay, maybe you could talk about the "domination" of relativism in multiculturalism, and how relativism does not really help students learn, because what is there to learn if there is no truth? And maybe you could talk about how relativism does not genuinely respect other cultures. True respect is examining a culture in light of the truth, so that the authentic elements of that culture can grow and shine. You might use American culture as an example. Imagine if American culture never grew. We would still have slavery. Every culture has elements that are destructive or false, and the only way to respect those cultures is to challenge them with the truth. This is not only true of cultures, but of students as well. A student is always growing, and the only way he can grow is to challenge himself, to challenge what he thinks he knows, and to apply what he does know.

[FreeSoul]

Sorry, it was the wrong one...i replaced it. Thx

[mommas_boy]

I guess what worries me is that if used improperly, the idea could lead to a form of moral relativism, based on the idea that we should respect the differences of different cultures. In the case where two cultures have conflicting moral ideas, the result could be something to the effect, "Well, no culture can always be right".

[FreeSoul]

No it is not a mask for relativism.

Relativism is when you say that all beliefs are right/wrong.

Multiculturalism is when we say that all CULTURES are respected in a society. Cultures are more than beliefs - which are just one part of a culture which is made up of traditions, sexual and gender roles, artistic endeavours. concepts of beauty, diets, entertainments anything.

Mistaking culture for truth is simplistic and dangerous. More to come...

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='Era Might' post='1549757' date='May 30 2008, 05:19 PM']Multiculturalism is sometimes a mask for relativism.[/quote]


[quote name='mommas_boy' post='1549759' date='May 30 2008, 05:21 PM']I guess what worries me is that if used improperly, the idea could lead to a form of moral relativism, based on the idea that we should respect the differences of different cultures. In the case where two cultures have conflicting moral ideas, the result could be something to the effect, "Well, no culture can always be right".[/quote]

Ok. Good to know that I'm on the right track.

[Era Might]

Fr. Pacwa from EWTN has a CD called "Relativism and Her Three Ugly Sisters." The three ugly sisters are individualism, pluralism, and multiculturalism.

[FreeSoul]

[quote]You might use American culture as an example. Imagine if American culture never grew. We would still have slavery. Every culture has elements that are destructive or false, and the only way to respect those cultures is to challenge them with the truth. This is not only true of cultures, but of students as well. A student is always growing, and the only way he can grow is to challenge himself, to challenge what he thinks he knows, and to apply what he does know.[/quote]

Multiculturalism allows children to bring their own culture into the classroom engage with students from other classrooms without the pressure of bias or prejudice or a dominant culture which imposes itself on the student - the student will choose what they believe to be true or not true.

This does not necessarily imply that there are multiple truths. It simply does not make a judgement and allows for free inquiry so that the student decides for him or herself.

For example..in the classroom all belief systems will be discussed in a class on religion and the students will debate their opinions and beliefs. The role of teacher is that of facilitator and does not teach 'truth' but 'the process of inquiry' which is the bedrock of thought. For instance...this is what Sikhs believe, this is what Atheists do not believe, this is what Christians believe...

now what do you think, class?

[FreeSoul]

[quote]You might use American culture as an example. Imagine if American culture never grew. We would still have slavery. Every culture has elements that are destructive or false, and the only way to respect those cultures is to challenge them with the truth.[/quote]

I forgot to address this part.

Slavery was the result of imperialism, in other words ... [i]the complete opposite of multiculturalism. [/i] The slaves were not Christians but were [b]forced [/b]to be Christians.

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='Era Might' post='1549767' date='May 30 2008, 05:28 PM']Fr. Pacwa from EWTN has a CD called "Relativism and Her Three Ugly Sisters." [b]The three ugly sisters are individualism, pluralism, and multiculturalism[/b].[/quote]

Hmm. Maybe I should get this CD? There seems to be much more to it here that I don't understand. Clearly, Fr. Pacwa is not advocating homogeneity. What are the problems with pluralism?