01-29-2010, 01:10 PM
I have recently had an opportunity to observe, personally, what is happening in most of the elementary schools of District 60. I am impressed with the quality of education and integrity of educators our infrastructure is able to maintain in spite of the arresting lack of curricularly supportive materials available to our children's educators. I am very concerned, though, at what I have observed as what I'll describe as the 'covert' curriculum in some of the schools I've been in lately.
Waukegan is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic treasure. Every child here-in must be nurtured in the development of their own unique positive self perception, I believe. Consequently I am concerned that, in some schools, there are still Hispanic Heritage Month decorations prominently displayed in academic environments that noticibly lack current African American History month displays. Upon further inquiry I was alarmed to discover that Native American History month, mandated Holacaust History, Women's History month, and Asian American history month observances were not only not planned for, but that there was little or no awareness , nor curricular integration, of them for our children. Worse, I observed some environments to fractionalize, displace, and trivialize ethnic and cultural observances.
It is, or should be, obvious to the reader what this dynamic ultimately 'teaches' the child. I am confident that Waukegan values and celebrates Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, Women, Asian Americans, Irish Americans, Sweedish Americans, Lithuanian Americans....you get my point! Given the economic 'recession', the already overworked educators, and the apparent disparity in operative educational philosophy in District 60, I am ultimately asking what we as concerned people can do to alleviate what will eventually be a falacy that will come back to haunt us.
Waukegan is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic treasure. Every child here-in must be nurtured in the development of their own unique positive self perception, I believe. Consequently I am concerned that, in some schools, there are still Hispanic Heritage Month decorations prominently displayed in academic environments that noticibly lack current African American History month displays. Upon further inquiry I was alarmed to discover that Native American History month, mandated Holacaust History, Women's History month, and Asian American history month observances were not only not planned for, but that there was little or no awareness , nor curricular integration, of them for our children. Worse, I observed some environments to fractionalize, displace, and trivialize ethnic and cultural observances.
It is, or should be, obvious to the reader what this dynamic ultimately 'teaches' the child. I am confident that Waukegan values and celebrates Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, Women, Asian Americans, Irish Americans, Sweedish Americans, Lithuanian Americans....you get my point! Given the economic 'recession', the already overworked educators, and the apparent disparity in operative educational philosophy in District 60, I am ultimately asking what we as concerned people can do to alleviate what will eventually be a falacy that will come back to haunt us.