NCJ Number
117139
Journal
School Safety Issue: 2 Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 10-13
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The importance of understanding racial and cultural diversity in school curricula is considered.
Abstract
Building identity and attitudes toward others begins during the preschool years and continues through young adulthood. Racism and cultural discrimination have psychologically harmful effects on this process. Racism attacks self-esteem and creates serious obstacles to obtaining the best possible education, health care, and housing. Ideally, anti-bias education should start in preschool and continue throughout a child's education. Nonetheless, it is possible to effectively introduce an anti-bias curriculum at any point in a child's development. Goals of such a curriculum are to construct a knowledgeable, confident self-identity; to develop comfortable, empathetic, and just interaction with diversity; and to learn skills for standing up for oneself and others in the face of injustice. An anti-bias curriculum embraces an educational philosophy, as well as specific techniques and content, that permeate all aspects of daily classroom life. It is a value-based approach; differences are great, but oppressive behaviors are not. Teachers, administrators, and school staff must examine the way they perceive and interpret behaviors of various racial and ethnic groups. Schools' internal organization must be more democratic via participatory decisionmaking in which administrators, teachers, students, and parents participate in school management.