62. This view of education seems to recommend that schools stress the unity of all
( x" v8 Z& y/ S9 e+ Npeople instead of their diversity. White I agree that education should include teaching
- n9 J/ |5 m5 G' I5 ]students about characteristics that we all share, doing so need not necessarily entail
) E. ~) i, Z' u% M. Rshifting focus away from our differences. Education can and should include both.
6 [8 g4 o! l3 |( Y/ v$ M8 |% g$ e; C6 B On the one hand. we are in the midst of an evolving global community where it is ' n- l/ ^8 `; S# t( y
increasingly important for people to recognize our common humanity, as well as
5 R$ s/ a2 U7 B# j8 x5 especific hopes and goals we all share. People universally prefer health to disease, being
V: _3 i( h) \1 X. R. ynourished to starving, safe communities to crime-riddled ones, and peace to war.
% m& i" T! U: l9 j1 y5 \3 qFocusing on our unity will help us realize these hopes and goals. Moreover, in our
, K4 p0 T- _- H0 Upluralistic democracy it is crucial to find ways to unify citizens from diverse 9 p. i- u/ q* S; D
backgrounds. Otherwise, we risk being reduced to ethnic, religious or political factions 3 ^, i E5 b: I
at war with one another, as witnessed recently in the former Yugoslavia. Our own ' j3 `; D) j4 l& G, L3 @3 {+ P2 a
diverse society can forestall such horrors only if citizens are educated about the ( B( u- A3 o$ y {* y9 P
democratic ideals, heritage, rights and obligations we all have in common.. d: Z7 b3 O7 U% M
On the other hand, our schools should not attempt to erase, ignore, or even play
, ~( e( f& M2 a' D a& fdown religious, ethnic or cultural diversity. First of all, schools have the obligation to d7 x0 s) C' [. N+ x
teach the democratic ideal of tolerance, and the best way to teach tolerance is to educate * n6 z4 s+ w6 H* E* T" {
people about different religions, cultures and so on. Moreover, educating people about 0 h1 Q, z) p# O C
diversity might even produce a unifying effect—by promoting understanding and & E" p7 Y) }( m4 L8 B0 ]; O
appreciation among people from all backgrounds.* E. c& C5 O; {1 V# ?' g [
In conclusion, while it may appear paradoxical to recommend that education stress 5 j% w0 T' _1 c ^
both unity and diversity, it is not. Understanding our common humanity will help us ' H& @0 G$ w- c7 a' R& K( g
achieve a better, more peaceful world. Toward the same end, we need to understand our 0 z8 K# V0 @6 a. [
differences in order to better tolerate them, and perhaps even appreciate them. Our
# M5 X$ `9 X+ D9 r! X% n$ I. Gschools can and should promote both kinds of understanding by way of a balanced , ~/ R! ~% r ^) c4 \; k O$ E
approach. |
发表于 2012-8-15 21:50:16
