Diversity and Multiculturalism: A Reader

Over the past forty years educators have made attempts to recognize diversity in society and incorporate it into the classroom. In her preface to this reader Steinberg (education, McGill University) states that little progress has been made. As the essays included here argue, all diversity is still seen as a deviation from a white, male, heterosexual, healthy, Christian norm. Many make suggestions for changes that can be made in individual classrooms, from preschool through high school. Several go beyond the distinctions of race, ethnicity and gender to other ways in which people are marginalized: ability, religion, economic status, size, and location. The attempts of the No Child Left Behind program to standardize education are listed and generally rejected for not taking diversity into account. The issues addressed here are far-ranging and cannot be solved solely through the public schools. However, the essays printed here may give teachers a base from which to begin the work. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)