Class Dismissed and The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

                                

 For this blog post, I will be touching on two things assigned to us this week. An excerpt from the film Class Dismissed which can be watched here, and the research review entitled, The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies.  I would like to start with the short video first. This video starts by discussing how children going to school for learning is fairly new for us as a society. Children used to be homeschooled by their mothers, but when Massachusetts’ first Department of Education made it so children from the age of four to 16 had to attend school regularly, things changed. They were taught to be on time, to listen to authority and many other things that would make them ideal workers and military personnel. This was during the industrialization of our country, so the government wanted children to learn how to be productive members of the changing society. In the video, Laurie A. Couture, a child trauma specialist, and John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher both claim that the traditional way of schooling is killing the imaginations of our youth. That the education system today is outdated and turning our children into little soldiers who cannot think for themselves. I highly disagree with their statements. I feel as though the school system we have in place teaches kids important life skills such as time management, responsibility for your actions, and social skills that will help them become thriving adults. There are plenty of activities that stimulate imagination, at least in my experience. Children must learn these skills so they can “take their place” as Couture said. If there are no replacements in the workforce when the people who are working now retire, our society as we know it will fall apart.  

Going on to the second part of our assignment, The Academic and Social Values of Ethnic Studies is an amazing explanation of why ethnic studies are so important to incorporate in our classrooms. Students need to know and understand that there are so many cultures in our world with rich histories. It improves children’s academic success by promoting cultural awareness, and critical thinking, and gets children engaged. Children can develop an understanding of diverse histories and perspectives. Moreover, the social implications as to why teaching ethnic studies can improve our society as a whole. The more children learn about different cultures and the younger these lessons are implicated, the less likely it is for these children to be racist. While it does not stop racism completely in its tracks, it does lessen the likelihood for a child to say or act on something that is racist or has racist undertones. It also gives children of color a sense of belonging and empowerment that they can use to achieve success. Overall, teaching this subject is a great thing and I believe all schools should make it a requirement that students take at least one class that is related to ethnic studies.