Open Blog #4

  According to the reading of the last chapter in Fruchter, it seems that when a controversial subject is introduced within a school district that is directly related to or especially challenges the views, beliefs, and culture of the children’s families who attend there, more parent and community involvement is guaranteed. Why is it that when a district trying to make positive changes in the current educational system calls for reform, there is limited parent and community support? It could be perhaps, because the reform isn’t challenging or relating directly to the children’s families in a way that gives them a true voice. In 1991, when The Children of the Rainbow Multicultural Program was introduced to New York City’s schools, it raised such a commotion with an outpouring of participation and involvement from the community members and parents to the school board meetings most of them challenging the program from being implemented. This opposition went deeper than just the curriculum in the classroom, “several speakers expressed blatant and sometime vicious homophobia.” Unfortunately, we live in a society that is faced with homophobia, racism, segregation, and etc. This is why we need reform. We need to educate on acceptance on sexual orientation or race or culture; we are all part of the same human race. If controversial propaganda in the school district works to gain involvement in the school therefore allowing the expression of democracy and have the community, parents, and students have an active role in some of the decision-making regarding reform and curriculum, then we need to utilize that. If the bureaucracies listen to the students and the community in which these students represent and will inevitably run in the future, they may have a different perspective for change. This involvement may help reduce the changing to “choice schools” and foster the support for reform that the district needs. The first step should be, breaking down the corrupt bureaucracies or holding them accountable and then provoking the parents with reform that challenges their beliefs to give them a major role in the curriculum their children will learn.