Response to #2

2. One student asked, “Why do we have to discuss teaching minority children the language of power? Why not just teach everyone acceptance?” Respond.

Part of learning how to accept others is recognizing the social and cultural structures we have in place. We have to recognize who has what power and how that division of power affects us. When we understand the methods of how the power in a community, culture and society are created and then used we can begin to understand parts of the background that composes the people we wish to learn how to accept.

Aside from this aspect of understanding, teaching the language of power typically happens for children who do not belong to a minority. Children of the culture in power receive an education that will help them maintain the culture’s power. By providing everyone, regardless of their cultural assignment, with an education that enables them to use elements of that power, which includes language, we are giving them an opportunity to move beyond being accepted and work towards becoming recognized as a peer.

The goal of embracing diversity is not teaching people how to accept that everyone has differences; the goal is for people to understand the complexities of our world and learn how to value them. By teaching all children the language of power we are giving them the tools they need to understand the world in which they live and the ability to effect change.