Experiences in Cultural Diversity
Most of the communities and states in the country have a significant number of cultural diversity creating many differences. However, individual and communities have to promote peaceful integration and relations among the different cultures, race and ethnic groups in the communities. To ensure peaceful coexistence with the respect of individual difference, the social policies in the society must become followed by the individuals and implemented by the government. The social system, according to different scholars, has different meaning however the term social policy generally implies at the measures, procedures and regulations that the states put in place to ensure that welfare is in order. It is paramount for states to ensure individuals are not discriminated in any activity of the country due to their difference and that there are social equality and balance in the provision of social services such as education, health employment and also politics. However, as my experience, the government has failed to ensure social equality in the education system of the country. I have experienced discrimination in school admission and services access at various schools due to my race and ethnic group which is considered inferior from the white race, and we have experienced marginalization of the periods in the education system.
The schools’ system has become dramatically affected by the racism of color whereby there are categorically color line distinction to the variety of services and admission one receives. These differences are a manifestation and fulfilment of the W.E.B. Dubois division in the society within the color lines as the problem of the 21st century (Aravacik, 2018). Though countries and powers are still struggling to implement measures to create equality and balance in society through fighting racism, the problem is complicated and far more deeply rooted in the community than we can imagine. Racism is inherently in the society carried over from generation to generation. This makes it difficult to change and avoid the social conflicts in the community from what Karl Marx describes as the conflict theory where the oppressed fight for their position and the privileged also fight to maintain their status in the society.
The problem in the society of limited educational opportunities in the education system in the system can also become traced back from the traditional days of the racially segregated schools. The minority races and ethnic groups were less funded while the white race schools were well funded more than the non-white schools. Though the government has reduced and managed to reduce the widely visible distinction in school opportunities by trying to create opportunities for the minority groups through the affirmative action discrimination in schools is still existing through the different funding of the schools which are made selectively and in unequal measure.
Considering the historical context of school and education discrimination and my own experience in the system of education difference, I have learnt that there is more that is needed to abolish education discrimination. And also improve equal opportunities and equal access to a better education without creating a conflict in the different social classes (Aravacik, 2018). Most of the minority and ethnic tribe and races are subjected to poverty due to the issue of economic discrimination where they are denied equal opportunities to employment opportunities and also subjected to minimum wages. The white community, which is the dominant race in all activities in the society, have great schools which are well funded and supported by different groups and organization and also the government. However, the minority groups which I also come from experience poverty and have schools which are not well established with infrastructure and resources compared to the white race schools.
The government also promotes discrimination through unequal access to quality education through their support programs. They fund the white schools with more finances and resource while underfunding the poor community schools from the minority ethnic group, making them receive less or low-quality education compared to the white race (Aravacik, 2018). The difference in the education system also spills over to the other social activities by denying the minority ethnic groups from equal aces of opportunities due to the limitation of education access. However, the government was only able to abolish legal discrimination by removing ending legal segregation in schools. Still, the perspective was embedded in the society with the minority groups facing the prejudice limiting their opportunity. Consequently, the government needs to come up with better ways to create equality and social balance since the affirmative action is only worsening the situation and Deeping the conflict between the races.
Part 2
However, my experiences and feeling of the failed attempts by the state in developing an education system that promotes equality and balance to access to opportunities are greatly influenced by my ethnic background. And the history of minority groups which relates to African-Americans struggles of fighting for the equality and social balance in the society. However, it is evident that no matter how much we struggle and fight to obtain the equality we so desire the cultural difference would always play a part in defining our positions in the society and the role we play which is also worsened by the disadvantages in the society created by unequal access of opportunities and also lack of social balance in all activities.
According to Karl Marx’s conflict theory societies are bound top constantly get into conflict form those trying to obtain certain resources while those already in hold of the portion of the resources will always want to protect and amass themselves more resources at the expense of oppressing the others (Aravacik, 2018). These inequality which since history and from the time of industrial revolution have taken rot into the society culture and are therefore difficult to uproot and ensure equality in resources sharing while ensuring the policies create a social balance due to the capitalist mode of economic and social activities in the country. More significant is given to individual way of obtaining wealth and thus the white race will always find ways of controlling the wealth and dominating the minority groups at their expense through cheap labor provision. Therefore they find ways of always subjecting the minority group to poverty and putting them in a situation where they will have limited opportunity to access of social activities and social amenities necessarily for human advancement and development such as unequal access to education with the state funding schools from the minority less compared to the huge investments and funding to develop the rich schools infrastructure and capacity.
Various studies undertaken from 900 Texas schools showed that there was a significant difference in the performance of the students with different races. The difference accounts for 40% o0f the students variance which was contributed to the teachers experience with the white students enjoying the quality and excellent expertise form their teachers while the minority races had teachers with lower experiences and qualifications while classroom sizes also greatly affect the performance and the capabilities of the teachers teaching effectively in the class. A study done at the Tennessee schools shows that most of the minority students are twice more likely to become allocated to less effective teacher’s compared to the white students who are highly allocated most effective teachers. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future through its analysis concluded that most of the disadvantaged students within the minority groups are allocated teachers who are newly hired and don’t meet the certification standards of teaching (Valant, 2020). These differences and disparities in the education system create different education standards in the country where the minority education standards are low and less competitive in the market.
Consequently the difference should not prevent one from achieving their goals and pursuing their dreams by dropping out of school or become demoralized and lose their self-esteem and confidence to fight for their rights. It is with this reason and determination that I have continued to pursue my deals and goals in education and believe I will make it and excel in life. It is from Weber’s theory that I find courage to move on and struggle to achieve my goals and dreams even when the systems and policies are unfavorable to the minority groups. However in order to do away with the issue of discrimination not only in education system but all sector in the society the government and individual must show commitment towards respecting and acknowledging the cultural difference and embrace cultural diversity in all policies through equal support. Similarly we should promote the celebration of diversity in our community to address the issue of racial discrimination significantly.
References
Aravacik, E. (2018). Social Policy and the Welfare State. Public Economics And Finance. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.82372
Valant, J. (2020). The banality of racism in education. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/06/04/the-banality-of-racism-in-education/