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Chapter 6 |
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Nelson Quiock is well into the school year. He thought that students valued individual differences and respected each others' cultures, until he overhead the following conversation:
S1: Yeah, it's not that I believe most of that stuff they say about kids from there, but I'm starting to think there is some truth to it. My grandfather definitely thinks that people from there are different and should be changed to accept our culture instead.
S2: I really have trouble with all this cultural stuff. I mean, people moved here, don't you think they would want to give up their languages and customs and instead embrace our culture, our way of life. Look at Sari. She is totally trapped. She comes to school all wrapped up in her clothes of her culture. What an excuse to get out of things! The teachers don't make her do near the things the rest of us do. Maybe I ought to say I'm from there, too, and then the teachers will give me some slack.
S1: It isn't just the slack. It's more. There are differences, but I still think everyone should try to be like us.
S2: Like you, or like us? Huge difference there!
S1: You know what I mean, like us, accept our culture and do things the way we do.
S2: If I hear the message, "embrace the culture, try to understand it in context, and don't judge it," I'm going to puke!
S1: Stop, I go to lunch soon. Look, don't you think that we've had enough of the multicultural education thing. I mean, how many times are we going to have to learn about…
S2: Not now. Here comes Mr. Quiock. We gots to get back to task. If he announces one more "international day" I'm gonna blow a gear in my brain!
Teacher Notes:
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