Rabbi Sacks said we must learn to listen and be prepared to be surprised by otherswe must even, at times, be ready to hear of their pain, humiliation and resentment and discov
Rabbi Sacks said “we must learn to listen and be prepared to be surprised by others…we must even, at times, be ready to hear of their pain, humiliation and resentment and discover that their image of us is anything but our image of ourselves” (p. 89). Combined with the supplemental readings on White privilege and racial microaggressions, how do you think of the statement?
ED 355 141
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Fil.r, Anna May, Comp. Multictlturalism, 1992. New York State Council of Educational Associations. Oct 92 246p.
Robin Wheeler, 59 Cascade Terrace, Schenectady, NY 12309 ($10). Collected Works General (020) Reports Descriptive (141)
MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. Art Education; Elementary Secondary Education; *English (Second Language); History Instruction; *Mathematics Education; *Multicultural Education; *Science Education; Second Language Learning; *Social Studies; Units of Study
IDENTIFIERS New York
ABSTRACT This monograph, developed to enrich the literature on
multiculturalism, includes 25 articles on the subject. The articles are: (1) "Multiculturalism and an Assessment of Its Critics: Key to an Understanding and Acceptance" (A. J. Williams-Myers); (2) "The New Demographics" (Charles G. Treadwell); (3) "'Multiple Perspectives' or Courting Ethnic Strife?" (Albert Shanker); (4) "Fieldwork and Folklife Studies: Them, Us, and If" (Beverly J. Robinson); (5) "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" (Peggy McIntosh); (6)
"Multiculturalism in Mathematics, Science, and Technology" (Gerry Madrazo, et al); (7) "Strategies for Implementing Multicultural Education" (Irene M. Lober; Kathryn Dunlop); (8) "Color Me" (James Hillestad); (9) "The Sociological, Psychological, and Pedagogical Implications of Multicultural Education" (Dolores M. Fernandez); (10) "Librarian-Teacher Partnerships: Serving the English as a Second Language Students" (Anne H. Filson); (11) "The Importance of the Teacher to Multiculturalism" (Maryann Fallek); (12) "Usage is Never Good or Bad but Thinking Makes It So" (Frances E. Blake); (13) "Creating Thematic Units with a Multicultural Focus" (Patricia Baker); (14) The New York State Social Studies Supervisory Association's "Regents' Letter"; (15) "Ways to Implement Multiculturalism: Twenty-One Lessons for American History with a
Multicultural Focus" (Anna May Filor); (16) The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) "Background Paper: Multicultural Science Education" and "NSTA Position Statement: Multicultural Science Education"; (17) "Multicultural Classrooms, Monocultural Teachers" (Terry Dean); (18) "Multicultural Education Mathematics Is a Great Place to Start" (Bill Collins); (19) "Let's Teach Our Common Heritage" (Anthony Cortese); (20) "1492-1992 The Columbian Quincentenary: An Educational Opportunity" (National Council for the Social Studies); (21) "Multicultural Assessment" (Jose S. Sanchez; Ed Yanson); (22) "Bilingual Education: Educating the Global Villager" (Carmen A. Vazqueztell; Ximena E. 'Late); (23) "Experiencing Other Cultures through Fiction" and "Multicultural Fiction: List of Books for Secondary Students" (Judity Gray); (24) "Foreign Language Instruction: Keystone to Multiculutral Education" (Sophie Jeffries); and (25) "Multicultural Art Education: Many Views, One Reality" (Patricia Barbanell). (LBG)
it Points of view or opinions stated in this docu- ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or DOI.Cy
r )1MMEMM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OffrCe or Educational Research and improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
41,1TMs document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating
C Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
Multiculturalism
1992
NYSCEA Prepared by Constituent Associations Forming the New York State Council of Educational Associations
Compiled by Anna May Filor, Chair Research and Development Committee
October 1992
OFFICERS 1991-1992 Harry Kranepool, President Louis Tul lo, President Elect Susan Leahy, Secretary Jack D. Hickey, Treasurer Frances Bliven, Past President
NYSCEA
OFFICERS 1992-1993 Harry A. Kranepool,President Louis Tul lo, President Elect Susan Leahy, Secretary Robin J. Wheeler, Treasurer Frances Bliven, Past President
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many individuals shoLid be applauded for their fine contributions to this monograph. Thank you Colleagues!
Thank yous are extended to the Committee members who edited this Journal. These hard-working committed professionals included: Robin Wheeler, Bonnie McCaig and J. Stephen Bona. Each worked with energy and drive and contributed sensitivity and intelligence to this difficult project.
Thank you Harry Kranepool for your hours of time and the ideas and materials you gave to complete this Journal.
Thank you Sue Chlystun, artist and Art teacher at Poughkeepsie High School and Doris Navarra, typist and secretary.
Thank you Filor Family for the sacrificed farily meals and recreation times and family life you allowed me to miss so that this monograph could be finished.
Special Plaudits are extended also to Charles Santelli, Phil Ellis and NYSUT for the printing of this journal.
Thank you one and all.
ii
Anna May Filor Editor
To Order this monograph, Multiculturalism 1992, contact NYSCEA Treasurer:
Ms. Robin Wheeler 59 Cascade Terrace Schenectady, New York 12309 (518) 785-9397
Cost $10.00
* Printed by New York State United Teachers
iii
r.7o
4290a,
fra11411111
SECTION I: GUEST AUTHORS
Dr. A. J. Williams-Myers Charles G. Treadwell Albert Shanker Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Dr. Peggy McIntosh Gerry Madrazo, et al,
(Dr. Charles Drew and Dr. Elroy Rodriguez Lessons) Dr. Irene M. Lober and Dr. Kathryn Dunlap Dr. James Hillestad Dr. Dolores M. Fernandez Anne H. Filson Maryann Fallek Frances E. Blake
SECTION II: NYSCEA CONSTITUENT ASSOCIATIONS AND AFFILIATES
Dr. Patricia Baker NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: NYSCSS
Regents Letter NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATION: NYS4A
Anna May Filor NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATION: NYS4A
NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION: NYSTA/NSTA Terry Dean
NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES: NYSTESOL
Bill Collins NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICS SUPERVISORS: NYSAMS
Antonia (Tony) Cortese NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS: NYSUT
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: NCSS Dr. Jose S. Sanchez and Ed Yanson
NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS: NYASP Carmen A. Vazqueztell and Dr. Ximena E. Zate
NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION: NYSABE Judith Gray
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SECTION OF NEW YORK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: SLMSNYLA
Dr. Sophie Jeffries NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS: NYSAFLT
Dr. Patricia Barbanell NEW YORK STATE ART TEACHERS ASSOICATION: NYSATA
iv
INTRODUCTION
Multiculturalism concerns problems, controversies, and implementations and are topics of powerful and great interest today in our country. This monograph has been developed to enrich the literature on this essential and crucial subject.
Twenty-five different articles are in this monograph on Multiculturalism. Constituent organizations of NYSCEA have submitted very exciting ideas and materials. NYSAFLT, NYSTESOL, NYSABE, NYSCSS, NYSASP, NYLA, NYSAMA, are among the many professional organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the NYSCEA Journal, 1992. Additionally, national leaders such as Albert Shanker of the AFT and Gerry Madrazo of the NSTA and New York State leaders such as Toni Cortese of NYSUT have written essays. Academics, College Professors and classroom teachers, Librarians and students also submitted articles. Dr. Irene Lober and Dr. James Hillestad of SUNY New Paltz and Dr. Peggy McIntosh of Wellesley and Dr. Beverly Robinson of UCLA are some of the academics who shared their ideas. Frances Blake, a student from Florida &nd Mary Ann Fallek, a teacher from Poughkeepsie, and Judith Gray, a librarian wrote articles of great interest.
Dr. A. J. Williams-Myers''article "Multiculturalism And An Assessment Of Its Critics: Key To An Understanding And Acceptance" examines the need for a multicultural education and analyzes the critics of multiculturalism.
Charles Treadwell's graphs and comments illustrate the changing demographics of American Society.
Albert Shanker's article on "Multiple Perspectives Or Courting Ethnic Strife" suggests that history and social studies taught from multiple perspectives sounds reasonable, but encourages intellectual dishonesty and promotes divisiveness.
Dr. Beverly Robinson in "Fieldwork Studies "Them," Us" and "If" maintains that folk life research is a wonderful opportunity to break down cultural biases and ignorance. It helps communalize communities.
Dr. Peggy McIntosh's significant article on "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" makes a real contribution to understanding the effects of Racism.
Harry Kranepool shared the book by Gerry Madrazo et all, Multiculturalism In Mathematics Science And Technology. The lessons on "Drs. Charles Drew and Elroy Rodriguez" were selected to illustrate the contents of this new book.
Drs. Lober and Dunlap in "Strategies For Implementing Multicultural Education" illustrate designs for curriculum development.
Dr. James Hillestad's article "Color Ae" is a powerful philosophical statement suggesting that multiculturalism is intellectual deceit as well as dangerous and destructive.
Dr. Dolores Fernandez wrote "The Sociological Psychological and Pedological Implications of Multicultural Education." She gives a lengthy, effective defense of Multicultural Education and suggests fighting institutional racism and helping students develop positive self-concept. She advocates restructuring education for cultural infusion rather than additive programs.
Anne Filson's "Librarian-Teacher Partnerships: Teaching The English-As-A-Second-Language Students," makes many concrete suggestions to help students and teachers improve reading.
Maryann Fallek's essay states that the "teacher is the expert" and that teachers must be inclusive in "The Importance Of The Teacher To Multiculturalism."
Frances Blake in "Usage Is Never Good or Bad, But Thinking Makes It So" alerts teachers that they should take advantage of what linguists say about the nature of language so that they can maintain nonbiased attitudes in their classrooms. Teachers should not conclude that students who speak nonstandard forms of English have low intelligence.
Dr. Patricia Baker in "Creating Thematic Units With a Multicultural Focus" talks about developing "Thematic" Units on Japan. She suggests that a "Contributions" approach may increase stereotyping and adds superficiality while the "additive" approach does not reach the goals of Multiculturalism. She recommends developing a web for inter-disciplinary work.
Anna May Filor shares many lessons to enrich teaching in United States History classes with a multicultural focus. These lessons include readings, poetry, songs, films and books.
vi
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in "Multi- Culturalism Science Education" maintains that teachers are aware that all children can learn and that Science study can and must develop positive self-concept.
Terry Dean in "Multicultural Classrooms, Monocultural Teachers" says whether the student assimilates or leaves his culture behind teachers can help with cultural transitions. Lessons such as class newsletters, twenty minute journals, peer groups marking and sharing of papers can give enormous support to students.
Bill Collins in "Multicultural Education In Mathematics" says that Mathematics is a great place to start multicultural education and suggests new books and materials to improve teaching in this area.
Antonia Cortese of NYSUT in "Let's Teach Our Common Heritage" suggests that multiculturalism can divide America.
National Council For The Social Studies article, "1492-1992 The Columbian Quincentenary: An Educational Opportunity" is a very interesting article suggesting the inclusion of many points of view in celebrating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' conquest of "Paradise."
Dr. Jose Sanchez and Ed Yansen's "Multicultural Assessment" stresses that prejudice must be reduced and teachers must be aware of their cultural "baggage."
Carmen Vazqueztell and Dr. Ximena Zate, authors of "Bilingual Education: Educating the Global Villager," applaud the Dutch and European models of multilingualism rather than American monolingualism or bilingualism.
Judith Gray's "Experience Other Cultures Through Fiction," states that fiction books can be an irportant factor in the multicultural curriculum and shares F. bibliography with us. She suggests that doing such reading he'?s students see the similarities in all cultures.
Dr. Sophie Jeffries' "Foreign Language Instruction: Keystone to Multicultural Education" suggests that Social Studies education should "harmonize" with foreign language education.
Dr. Patricia Barbanell, author of "Multicultural Art Education: Many Views, One Reality" stresses the importance of multiculturalism to the teaching of art and shares resources.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I: GUEST AUTHORS
Dr. A. J. Williams-Myers. 1
Multiculturalism And An Assessment Of Its Critics: Key To An Understanding And Acceptance
Charles G. Treadwell 11 The New Demographics
Albert Shanker 19 "Multiple Perspectives" Or Courting Ethnic Strife? AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Dr. Beverly J. Robinson 23 Fieldwork And Folklife Studies: "Them," "Us" And "If"
Dr. Peggy McIntosh 30 White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Knapsack
Gerry Madrazo, et al Multiculturalism In Mathematics, Science, And Technology Dr. Charles Drew and Dr. Elroy Rodriguez Lessons NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
37
Dr. Irene M. Lober and Dr. Kathryn Dunlap 47 Strategies For Implementing Multicultural Education
Dr. James Hillestad 56 Color Me
Dr. Dolores M. Fernandez The Sociological, Psychological And Pedagogical Implications of Multicultural Education NEW YORK STATE ASSOICATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION: NYSABE
viii 1 0
63
Anne H. Filson 85 Librarian Teacher Partnerships: Serving The English-As-A-Second-Language Students
Maryann Fallek 96 The Importance Of The Teacher To Multiculturalism
Frances E. Blake 98 Usage Is Never Good Or Bad But Thinking Makes It So NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
SECTION II: NYSCEA CONSTITUENT ASSOCIATIONS AND AFFILIATES
Dr. Patricia Baker 106 Creating Thematic Units With A Multicultural Focus NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: NYSCSS
Regents Letter 118 NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATION: NYS4A
Anna May Filor 120 Ways To Implement Multiculturalism: Twenty-One Lessons For American History With A Multicultural Focus NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATION: NYS4A
NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION: NYSTA/NSTA 132 Background Paper: Multicultural Science Education NSTA Position Statement: Multicultural Science Education
Terry Dean 134 Multicultural Classrooms, Monocultural Teachers NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES: NYSTESOL
Bill Collins 154 Multicultural Education Mathematics Is A Great Place To Start NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICS SUPERVISORS: NYSAMS
Antonia (Tony) Cortese 161 Let's Teach Our Common Heritate NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS: NYSUT
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES: NCSS 166 1492 1992 The Columbian Ouincentenary: An Educational Opportunity
Dr. Jose S. Sanchez and Ed Yanson 173 Multicultural Assessment NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS: NYASP
Carmen A. Vazqueztell and Dr. Ximena E. Zate Bilingual Education: Educating The Global Villager NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION: NYSABE
181
Judith Gray 192 Experiencing Other Cultures Through Fiction Multicultural Fiction List Of Books For Secondary Students) SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SECTION OF NEW YORK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: SLMSNYLA
Dr. Sophie Jeffries 200 Foreign Language Instruction: Keystone To Multicultural Education NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS: NYSAFLT
Dr. Patricia Barbanell 217 Multicultural Art Education: Many Views, One Reality NEW YORK STATE ART TEACHERS ASSOICATION: NYSATA
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Multiculturalism And An Assessment Of Its Critics: Key To An Understanding And Acceptance
Submitted By
Dr. A. J. Willies -Myers Department of Black Studies State University College New Paltz, New York 12561
A.J. Williams-Myers a historian, writes on the African American presence in the Hudson Valley. His book, "Long Hammering: The forging of an African American presence," is due in 1992. He is the recipient of a 1973-74 Ford Foundation research Fellowship.
According to a report in a TIMES MAGAZINE article of April 9,
In ten years, [people of color] will make up 25% of the population of the United States. English will be the second language for the majority of California's population by the year 2000. By 2020, the majority of that state's entry-level workers will be (Latinos). Sometime in the next century, whites will become the minority in (the U.S. population), but before that time by about 2020, people of color are projected to be nearly 115 million while the white population will not [have increased] at all. Even further, by 2056, when someone born today will be 66 years old, the average U.S. resident,as defined by Census Statistics, will trace his or her descent to Africa, Asia, (the Latino World), the Pacific Islands, Arabia–almost anywhere but white Europe. (TIME MAGAZINE, 1990)
What this means for New York State in the year 2000 is that:
31% of the state's population will be people of color with African Americans and Latinos as the predominant' groups…The number of people of color is projected to increase from a 1980 total of 4.4 million to 5.8 million by the year 2000…At the same time, an older, less fertile white population will decline from a 1981 figure of 13.1 million to slightly less than 12.8 million by the century's end. ("Dropping Out of School…," 1987: pp. 7-8)
1
The two quotations speak to the heart Df the problem for those who hold the view that multiculturalism is really a smoke screen for a "cult of ethnicity," racial separatism, "feel-good history," a "massive" attack on the canons of American education, and/or "the distrust of the dead, as in 'dead white male(s).'" (Schlesim-rer, 1991: 58; Hughes, 1992: 47) Rather than acknowledging the reality of the situation, the theoreticians of those who are uneasy about or even fear the reality of the demographics projections have begun a campaign to discredit multiculturalism through the use of the most potent political weapon in America-race. If we as teachers are to understand our role as-the molders of tomorrow's leaders with the use of a curriculum that addresses the country's inherent diversity and/or a multiplicity of cultures, it is incumbent upon us first to understand the nature of this pernicious move to discredit multiculturalism or elements of it. Secondly, having arrived at the point where we can view such a move as simply an anachronism of yesterday's unfounded hysterics, we then move beyond it to begin preparing tomorrow's leaders.
Let me succinctly attempt to share with you some of my insights into this move, and then proceed to state why we need to move most expeditiously to the implementation of such a curriculum. In addition, I want to conclude with a statement as to where I feel such a curriculum should take and position us by the turn of the 21st century.
The Critics
There are a number of pundits who have been called upon to run offensive as theoreticians for those who are squeamish and/or fearful of the projected demographics. Because space does not allow me the opportunity to be more comprehensive in my response to many of these tacticians, I will, therefore, keep their numbers to a minimum while curtailing some of my own rhetoric.
In the State of New York the initial move to undermine the idea of multiculturalism came with a searing attack on the Board of Regents' 1989 report "The Curriculum of Inclusion." The report (and it is not a curriculum per se) stated that students of color have been the victims of "intellectual and educational oppression" as a result of a school curriculum that demonstrates a clear "systematic bias toward European cultures and its derivatives." As a viable corrective to that "systematic bias" the report called for the establishment of a "multicultural" curriculum as a way of fostering pedagogical equity, itself a reflection of an inherent multicultural society. Subsequent to the release of the report, the theoreticians let loose with a barrage of rhetorical verbiage such as the report is consistent2y "anti-Western and anti-white;"
2
"could cause distortions in historical facts;" feel-good history isn't the answer "for safer schools, better teachers, better teaching materials, greater investment in education, the need for stable families that can nourish self-discipline and aspiration…;" and such a curriculum would "turn teachers into ethnic cheerleaders." (Buder, 1990: 7; House, 1990: 4B; Ravitch, 1990; 1990: 41; Schlesinger, 1991: 58; Winkler, 1991: A7) In the words of one source that described the rhetorical attack on the report: "It was interpreted by some as a bashing of American values and an attempt to gut the present curriculum and remove what many people feel is central to our tradition." (Basler, 1990: 2B) As I quoted above, with respect to the "canons," the call for a multicultural curriculum, in the minds of the frightened, gives every indication of "the distrust of the dead, as in 'dead white male(s).'"
The Regents' "Curriculum Of Inclusion" report in no way sought to "gut" the existing curriculum or denigrate the "canonical" dead. The report simply recommended pedagogical steps that tremendously would enhance the mirror image of the school curriculum in its reflection of the inherent ethnic, gender, racial and religious diversity in the state and nation. And because the consultants to the Regents' task force that produce the report were of the four racial groups acknowledged as victims of "intellectual and educational oppression," the importance of racial diversity, depicted with much more substance and validity, was highly recommended. As a result of this recommendation it was the remark of a subsequent consultant, called in to evaluate the "Q.urriculum of Inclusion," that termed the report "anti-Western and anti-white." (House, 1990: 4E) It is this writer's opinion that in the wake of that remark, coupled with the vociferousness of one of the original four consultants and the dynamics of the collegiate imbroglio in New York City, the opposition's strategy was to single out Afrocentrism (a pedagogical approach to the education of students of African ancestry) and tout it as the "real evil" behind multiculturalism.
One of the more prominent theoretician has gone so far as to describe Afrocentricity as the worst threat to the country since -perhaps-the "cult" of hyphenated names of the early 20th century. In the words of that theoretician: "The metaphor of America as a melting pot that banishes old identities is giving way to that of a Tower of Babel: Afrocentrism in the schools is a symptom of a growing fragmentation that is threatening to divide our society." (Winkler, 1991: A7) Referring to Afrocentrism as "an escape from the hard and expensive challenges of our society," this theoretician goes on to posit that "the cult of ethnicity…and Afrocentricity in particular…exaggerates differences, intensifies resentments and antagonisms, drives ever deeper the awful wedges
between races and nationalities. The endgame is self- pity and self-ghettoization." (Schlesinger, 1991: 58) This last statement should be of particular concern for all of us because it is alarmist and incendiary. (Williams-Myers, 1990: A10) Why?
Because while the writer acknowledges that most Blacks have "(fought) bravely and patriotically for their country, and would move to the suburbs too if income and racism would permit," the writer says absolutely nothing of the viciousness of racism and how Blacks have suffered and continue to suffer under its impact. (Schlesinger, 1991: 79) Or, for that matter, how racism "exaggerates differences, intensifies resentments and antagonisms, drives ever deeper the awful wedges between [Black and white]." The writer never makes the connection for his readers how racism fosters enormous disparities in "income" between Blacks and whites, thus limiting the socioeconomic progress of African Americans. The theoretician does pinpoint the real fear off multiculturalism for those who are swayed by such rhetoric, and that is the projected demographics for the 21st century. In the words of that pundit: "Will not this rising flow of non-European immigrants [people of
color] create a 'minority majority' that will make Eurocentrism obsolete by the 21st century? This is the fear of some white Americans and the hope (and sometimes the threat) of some nonwhites." (Schlesinger, 1991: 70) The statement is baited with race.
Mirroring the rhetoric of the above theoretician, another, arguing that Afrocentrism is a move toward "cultural separatism," posit an unsubstantiated position that it ("cultural separatism") "turns what ought to be a recognition of cultural diversity, or real multiculturalism, tolerant on both sides, into a pernicious symbolic program." Referring to the proponents of Afrocentric thought as "thugs," "cranks," and "an undistinguished group of scholars," the writer goes on to say that "the desire for self-esteem (the 'feel-good' history) does not justify every lie and exaggeration and therapeutic slanting of evidence that can be claimed to alleviate it…" (Hughes, 1991:48-49) Although this theoretician leads the reader to believe that the rhetoric in the essay will be an harangue on the many groups involved in what is termed the "factionization" of America, the real thrust of the rhetoric is a "pernicious" and unwarranted, alarmist attack on Afrocentricity.
A third theoretician called into play to undermine the value of a multicultural curriculum describes it as "illiberal education." Arguing that there is a "cultural revolution" on college campuses, and that it
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