Diversity, hummm?

A couple of times a year my special education director bounces in my room with the same question, "How many minorities are on your caseload?" Everytime I would sit and think why he wanted to know and why it even mattered. My thoughts were simply that if a student needed special education, who cares? Then I realized that the state watches this very closely. Apparently, an unusually large amount of minorities are being mislabeled as special education due to poor testing scores, poor reading scores, or poor social skills. According to the NEA, National Education Association, "black students are labeled mentally retarded three times as often as whites." They listed the same reasons I had been hearing as reasons why. If a school has a high number of learning disabled minorities for example, the state will question why that is so. This sometimes becomes a concern for our school because our school is composed of mostly minorities. I had never realized how big an issue this really was and this became my first experience with diversity in a classroom.

Taylor points out what I consider to be an important point. He says that an "inclusive" history is impossible and I agree. What I do not understand is why history books do not just state the facts and leave out the opinions. If George Washington was a president and a slave owner, just state that and let people develop their own opinion about the matter. To say he was good or bad is irrelevant, it is an opinion. Students need to learn how to develop their own ideas. Taylor states, "History has a point of view, it cannot be all things to all people." We can't please everybody!!

Tobia's article really makes it apparent how big a factor race still is in society. This country focuses too much on race. If you look back in history enough the majority of us are a mixture of races anyway. My best friend just had a DNA test done that shows genetic makeup (I'll ask her about the company, I want to do this) and discovered that some 80% of her makeup was African American, but looking at her family she is white! Why we have to be so divided I do not know. I will bring up the question many don't ask. Why if we are trying to overcome racism do we still have black colleges or a black Miss America? Why is this o.k., but it is not o.k. to have a Indian or a white Miss America or college?

Hummm? I don't have the answers to diversity. All I know is to respect individuals and their rights and beliefs.

National Education Association. http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48738292_nea-offers-strategies-tackle-unusual-number-minorities-referred-special-education