Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 20293095
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED198606 AUTHOR: Gaarder, A. Bruce
TITLE: Cultural Pluralism and Other Major Issues in
American
Education. Part I. Decentralized Project No. 4 (Special
Activity). International Management Training for
Educational
Change (IMTEC).
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1976
NOTE: 48 p.; Prepared for the IMTEC/OECD United States
Bicentennial Seminar; Managing Change in Urban Education
(Boston, MA, October 10-29, 1976). Some pages may not
reproduce clearly due to light print of original document.
AVAILABILITY: IMTEC, P.O. Box 79 Blindern, Oslo 3, Norway
($2.00 plus mailing costs).
ABSTRACT: Most of the dilemmas, contradictions, and
inconsistencies that beset the nation's schools relate
either directly or indirectly to the ambiguous, overworked
twin concepts of cultural pluralism and the great American
melting pot. Examination of the ethnic history of the
United States reveals that those minorities urging cultural
pluralism were effectively excluded from the benefits of
American society while less visible minorities were being
assimilated. These excluded minorities are now trying a
different route to equity, without realizing that the
methods they are using have historically resulted in the
dissolution of the cultural groups using them. The
traditional American concern for equality that underlies
efforts at cultural pluralism also underlies many other no
less complex movements in education; those for equal
opportunity, compensatory education, desegregation,
bilingual and bicultural education, and affirmative action.
The philosophical roots and likely outcomes of these
movements are explored in this document. (Author/PGD)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Biculturalism-; Bilingualism-; Cultural
Awareness; Cultural-Background;
Educationally-Disadvantaged;
Educational-Objectives; Elementary-Secondary-Education;
Minority-Groups; Postsecondary-Education; Social-History;
Social-Integration; Social-Status; Sociocultural-Patterns;
Socioeconomic-Status
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Affirmative-Action; *Bilingual-Education;
*Compensatory-Education; *Cultural-Pluralism; *Equal
Education; *Multicultural-Education; *School-Desegregation
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