Multiculturalism In Schools: Article Analysis

In “Multiculturalism Should Be Promoted” an article that appeared in Culture Wars in 2004, director of the Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington in Seattle James A. Banks and editors of Rethinking Schools argue that multiculturalism should be taught and practiced in today’s schools. Part I of the article, written by the editors of Rethinking Schools, talks about “A Fight for Justice” and “White Privilege.” The editors’ focus their argument by providing what teachers should incorporate inside their classrooms to promote multiculturalism, its definition, and what multiculturalism can provide for the community. The editors pointed out that multiculturalism entails support. In Part II, written by James A. Banks , he

The editors positively estimate by the year 2020 there will be an increase of students of color in the nation’s schools (Banks). The editors along with Banks enlighten Americans that multiculturalism needs support. Throughout the article they restate what multiculturalism can provide for the nation and what we want for our future. They focus on education and how to understand that “academic rigor is impossible without a multicultural standpoint” (Banks). Under the “Fight for Justice” subtitle reads, “estimated that the nation’s schools will have 48% students of color.” That statement is a hopeful message for the future if the reader belongs to a minority, but if the reader is white, some of them will be scared since they’ll be introduced to a new environment. The editors focus on how whites need to work together so schools become anti-racist. By creating hope, the editors succeed in making readers think about promoting and supporting multiculturalism throughout the following statements; in Part II, Banks, states that multiculturalism will create a nation that not only is composed of understanding diversity but a nation that everyone can learn from each other in equality. He includes that democratic societies are “aware of the gap” and “willing to take thoughtful action” (Banks). Another hopeful view shared in the article is when Banks reinforces the importance of multiculturalism in the classroom. He focuses on how “students come to school with many stereotypes…negative attitudes toward racial and ethnic groups” (Banks) and how multicultural textbooks and other school materials can educate students to reduce this irrational thinking. By getting students to “voluntarily participate” in activities with other