MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION AND THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS

Abstract

This paper discusses key elements of current multicultural challenges of the traditional civic mission of schools. It appraises these challenges to suggest their strengths and weaknesses--contributions and pitfalls--with regard to fundamental U.S. principles of democracy endorsed by both multicultural challengers and traditional civic educators. Finally, it suggests how multicultural education and civic education can be conjoined in the mission and core curriculum of schools to support genuinely the principles and practices of democratic citizenship. (RJC) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION AND THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS By John J. Patrick Director, Social Studies Development Center; Director, ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education; and Professor of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington An Occasional Paper of the Social Studies Development Center Indiana University, Bloomington June 27, 1998 2 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY a-k TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) tt This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION AND THE CIVIC MISSION OF SCHOOLS John J. Patrick Indiana University, Bloomington A long-standing and deeply rooted mission in American schools stresses common education for citizenship in a government based on consent of the governed and rights of individuals. Advocates of this traditional civic mission of schools assume that without effective education for democratic citizenship neither popular sovereignty nor the personal and political rights of individuals are secure. Furthermore, proponents claim that national unity is at risk unless the socially and culturally diverse people of the United States are educated to know and support in common certain civic principles that define them as a distinct people and polity. A recent and emphatically expressed challenge to the traditional civic mission of schools in the United States of America highlights social and cultural diversity between different groups. This new multicultural mission is necessary, according to its leading advocates, to improve the old civic mission through recognition of long-neglected groups that have suffered inequitable discrimination. Most proponents claim they want to democratize and legitimize civic education for all groups in the United States, not to overturn and replace it with a radical alternative. This chapter discusses key elements of current multicultural challenges of the traditional civic mission of schools. It next appraises these challenges to suggest their strengths and weaknesses--contributions and pitfalls--with regard to America's fundamental principles of democracy, which are endorsed by both multicultural challengers and traditional civic educators. Finally, it suggests how multicultural education and civic education can be conjoined in the mission and core curriculum of schools to support genuinely the principles and practices of