The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by the year 2060, the U.S. will become a nation of minorities when the non-Hispanic white population no longer makes up a majority of the nation. These changes in demographics are reflected in the school age population and must be reflected in the classrooms and practices that teach these children.
In education, the term equity refers to the principle of fairness. While it is often used interchangeably with the related principle of equality, equity encompasses a wide variety of educational models, programs and strategies that may be considered fair, but not necessarily equal. It is has been said that “equity is the process; equality is the outcome,” given that equity—what is fair and just—may not, in the process of educating students, reflect strict equality—what is applied, allocated or distributed equally.
- The Glossary of Education Reform
Multicultural education is a progressive approach for transforming education that holistically critiques and responds to discriminatory policies and practices in education. It is grounded in ideals of social justice, education equity, critical pedagogy and a dedication to providing educational experiences in which all students reach their full potentials as learners and as socially aware and active beings, locally, nationally and globally. Multicultural education acknowledges that schools are essential to laying the foundation for the transformation of society and the elimination of injustice.
The underlying goal of multicultural education is to affect social change. The pathway toward this goal incorporates three strands of transformation:
- the transformation of self
- the transformation of schools and schooling
- the transformation of society
View Highlights of Dr. Gorski's Presentation.