Book Review On Ways Through Which Culture Wars Continue Today.

Chapter 14 Discussion

Question 1 (Culture Wars)
Culture wars continue to be a pertinent concern in America’s educational system. Historically, various agencies and civil rights groups have been at the forefront to fight this issue.

Presently, culture wars continue to manifest in various ways. For instance, global migration and the civil rights groups have brought in debates over the choice of culture and the language of instruction in schools. Interestingly, some have put emphasis on the traditional Anglo-American culture to have the center stage (Spring, 2014).

Evidence of culture wars in the schools, society, and personal experience

Various situations in our schools, and society, point out to the existence of the cultural wars. For example, many schools grapple with the idea of fostering the national unity by teaching common cultural values. Importantly, cultural and immigration groups lobbying have introduced debates as to the inclusion of multicultural education in our institutions. Surprisingly, the advocates for these ideas are pushing for the expansion of multiculturalism beyond the curriculum. In principle, they seek to have it pervade each sphere of the schools (Spring, 2014). The content in our school textbooks has been another area of concern. Rights groups for the African Americans have raised the claim that most history books have left out the African American icons (Spring, 2014). Moreover, the recent incidences of racial based shootings in America’s schools have further intensified the cultural wars.

Question 2 (Shift in Views of Specific Groups)

Something I took away from this chapter.
According to Spring, (2014), there have been drastic shifts in America’s view of various groups. Precisely, these observations have brought a paradigm shift in perspectives concerning the immigrants, ethnic minorities, children with special needs, and women. One thing I took away from this chapter was the numerous spirited efforts from human rights groups in pushing for equality in the society. The clamor for the inclusion of children with disabilities into the educational opportunities in America enthralled me (Spring, 2014).

How these events have shaped our current educational system

These events have challenged our educational system to be more inclusive of the minority groups, women, and children with disabilities. Moreover, women are now encouraged and empowered to take up careers of their choice. Certainly, this is a significant paradigm shift of society’s perspective of the woman as only a homemaker.

Reference

Spring, J. (2014). The American School: A Global Context from the Puritans to the Obama Administration (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.