Multi-Cultural Education and the "Basics."

Overview & Synopsis

The back to basics movement continues to be the education media event of our time, but it appears that many advocates of the movement have interest in it other than that of education. Objectives range from strict drill in the three R's to a more vague return of religious and patriotic values to the curriculum and the elimination of such "frills" as multicultural education. Historically, however, education has failed to teach the "basic" fundamentals of knowledge to minority groups or to meet the individual needs of minority students because it has been so Anglo-centric. The majority of schools which attempt to provide equal educational opportunities are in urban areas and do so as a result of Federal legislation and the threat of losing Federal financial assistance. The lack of equal education deprives not only minority students, but majority students as well, because the latter lack knowledge and understanding of people different from themselves. Education is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic; it is preparation for life. Students need more than facts and problem solving skills; they need to know how to lead full and useful lives in a complex world. Multicultural education is a necessary part of the educational system because it provides all students with a more relevant and meaningful experience. (Author/WI)