Understanding Diversity

My husband and I advocate for my children to be exposed to diversity. I find that when you are emerged in the variances of cultures it broadens your understanding of the world.

I may have gone a bit far because, my daughter in particular, wants to have more of a heritage than to be "just American". While I know that other ethnocentric ideology is foolish, I do see the wisdom of pride in ones own heritage.

Our public school has vastly diverse in religions, political views, and skin colors. I couldn't ask for more...but I do.

One problem that can not be helped is the segregation of our bilingual children. They only do this until 3rd grade so that they have a chance to catch up and be married into the monolingual classes. Most of the children in these classes are in homes were they are the only one that speaks any English. The benefit of having a teacher and fellow classmates that understand them outweighs the damage of being put in different classrooms.

Yesterday my heart hurt to hear my children discuss those classes at the dinner table. They don't understand what the bilingual children say. They think it is automatically mean or rude. They have prejudices against the children while completely accepting the other faiths, ethnicity's, and politics of the children of their classes.

I talked to my children about prejudices they possessed. I talked to them about the injustice these thoughts and feelings bring to the world. My daughter ended in tears and my son really didn't understand.

I then emailed the teacher asking that the counselor talk to the classes about not understanding others. I am concerned that not every parent will address the issue. If we can stop this when they are still young it might make for a more peaceful world when they are adults.

I just received an email back from the teacher stating that they tried to integrate the classes at lunch but it lead to the muting of the bilingual children. She is going to take it to the counselor.

I pray that our children will have new eyes on this subject. My heart breaks for misunderstanding of children. They are born into innocence and the world mucks up the waters of their brains.

We are not animals. We are people with brains that can help or hinder our civilization.