Social Diversity and School Reform

Both the hidden curriculum of schools and cultural hegemony in schools unknowingly or uncaringly support the success and progress of the elite, while at the same time keeps students from poverty or minority groups on tracks that prevent them from achieving higher levels of success.  For many years, the focus in schools has been on closing the achievement gap between white students and minority groups.  However, the measuring stick for how well we are closing the gap is a test given on a single day to all students.  The test does not take into account the different modes of student learning or how much a student may have progressed in a given time period.  The test only shows performance on the given day.  Cultural hegemony affects the perceptions that both students and their parents develop about school over time.  These perceptions can be developed both in and out of the classroom and may have a great impact on student’s motivation to do well in school. 

For some minority groups, doing well in school can be impacted simply by schools understanding the importance of cultural pluralism.  To truly understand cultural pluralism within a school system, the school must be willing to value the cultural differences that students bring with them on a daily basis.  The school must be aware of how these differences will impact learning for each individual student and then work to provide instruction that supports the students and enables them to progress in a way that will promote successful learning.  The school would need to find ways to honor the cultural differences so that all students may have a deeper understanding and appreciation of differences in society.  Sadly, in contrast, it seems that most public school systems function under the idea of assimilation to the dominant culture for all students.  While this action may not be a purposeful form of discrimination, it may create a feeling of inferiority for minority students.  In effect, this feeling of inferiority may cause students to see school as a place they do not fit in or are not welcome.  It would be difficult for any student to do well in an environment where they did not feel comfortable or welcomed by their peers or teachers.  If school systems are devoted to successful education for all students then administrators and teachers must work harder to ensure that the cultural differences that students bring with them are honored and appreciated by all.  However, creating a school that supports pluralism will take more than hard working administrators and teachers.  A change in national expectations of schools would also be necessary.   With our current system, schools are expected to assimilate all students to the dominant American culture.  In addition, schools are rated based on student performance on state standardized test given in the English language.  Until federal requirements of schools are changed to acknowledge student performance in ways other than standardized tests, it will be difficult for schools to move to a society that focuses on pluralism.