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The issue of providing multicultural education to all children in the school system has been criticized in the United States. There are individuals who believe multicultural education should not be provided to students while others believe it should be incorporated into the curricula.
Although critics of multicultural education feel they have strong arguments against the issue, I feel that it should be included in all curricula. Our nation is increasingly becoming more linguistically and culturally diverse. Diversity is all around us in our homes, schools and communities, and affects not only our lives but the lives of our children. As our communities continue to become more diverse, understanding the viewpoints of diversity will become inevitably important.
Every child is like a puzzle piece with his or her own cultural background. Each child brings a sense of uniqueness to the school system. However, it takes each child to make the puzzle fit together.
Teachers can help students see how they fit into the big picture by adding a multicultural component to the curriculum.
How can the teachers help fit the child into the big picture if they are not aware of the child's cultural background? Do they even know the child as a whole? I believe exposure to multicultural learning environments could benefit all children.
The majority groups in the school can learn more about the cultures of the minority groups, while the minority groups can learn more about the cultures of the majority groups. Providing diversity in the classroom will allow children to learn new languages, skills, and knowledge that will help them succeed in a multicultural society.
I believe the lack of knowledge of culture divides students in the school system. In the United States, we emphasize the phrase "united we stand, divided we fall." Children must learn to accept one another in school despite differences in gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs. School administrators, teachers and families need to support a multicultural learning environment and help create a classroom that is responsive to the diverse needs of all children.
Providing a multicultural approach to education in the school system will help us unite the school system, and in turn help united the future leaders of our nation.
Melissa Hood Clark
Brenau University, Gainesville
Park owner can't buy support with donations
Jeremy Porter has repeatedly and publicly referred to religion and God in his quest to despoil the segment of the county in which I live with his "God inspired dream" of a Motorsports Park for the wealthy (or so that is how he markets it outside of karting and racing forums).
His patrons are the savvy who wouldn't want their homes located next to a 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. motorsports park that offers karting to "all," skid pads, "drifting," supermoto biking and NASA events with a small-medium spectator base. But that doesn't stop them from hoping to come to our community to bleed their need for excess in the name of "family fun" and recreation.
Insult to injury? To "honor God," Porter plans to give 10 percent of the profits from AMP to local churches.
This park will honor excess far more than God, and God's grace is not so easily purchased for 30 pieces of tithing silver.
Greed is the driving force, and it is an ugly faux pas AMP's flyer markets the phrase, "Paved with Good Intentions" picturing a fast car.
Yes, change is inevitable. No one I know is against progressive, intelligent change where businesses and industry net equitable results for the stakeholders. This type of positive "change" does not disenfranchise, devalue or ultimately trap entire communities in a negative environment.
Mr. Porter, you chose to buy into a quiet community that you hope will provide a backdrop to rear your children in a wholesome manner. Those of us in rural Dawsonville deserve that same opportunity for our families, in what we consider the most wholesome of environments, and nowhere does that include a motorsports park as a direct neighbor.
I ask the officials and residents of our broader community to be fearless and openly oppose this inappropriate development in the proposed area.
I ask the city to recognize us as a part of your plan, look to ethical developmental guidelines, facts, data, and heed the warning signs.
Do the right thing, for God's sake and ours.
Allison Schmitt
Dawsonville