Is diversity a choice?

Numerous books have been written about combating racism in a school setting. One example is We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools by Gary R. Howard. After teaching for five years in the same district, Howard began to see the changes in his students’ ethnic backgrounds. As the diversity of his classroom increased, so did his desire to help other teachers learn how to use more inclusive teaching strategies. His study led him to writing this book.

In the introduction, a section’s heading is “Diversity is not a Choice.” I believe this simple statement has a lot of truth backed up behind it. As people around the globe become more connected together, diversity becomes a more prominent part of our everyday lives. Howard’s book challenges the “White teacher” to become more culturally competent in order to best educate the students. I am interested to see what points Howard makes. My hope is that Howard brings valid discussion to the table, and does not merely accuse white educators of being racist, or forgetting about their multi-cultural students. I look forward to reading this book and am eager to hear Howard’s perspective.

Howard, G. R. (1999). We Can't Teach What We Don't Know (First ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.