Diversity FNED 346

There was obviously an article in the Cranston Herald about Diversity in the schooling community. I am showing this to the class because we will soon be teachers and maybe teaching this subject to our kids. Ms. Baker also used to be my Spanish teacher in middle school. We do not have time to talk about this because it is happening everyday. Someone had started it. This all needs to stop. When you read this, think, can our future really be better if we can teach our students to work together?

Cranston Your Turn
01:00 AM EST on Friday, November 9, 2007
CRANSTON
Banner flap is saddening
I am writing in response to a story which was featured in the Providence Sunday Journal and covered in the Cranston Herald as well. Apparently there are residents of Cranston who are upset by the fact that there is a banner hanging on the newly renovated Cranston Stadium which lists Cranston West Falcons first [and the Cranston East Thunderbolt second]. It saddens me to think that, with all of the problems we have in this world, a small group of narrow-minded individuals can focus their time and energy on perpetuating an unhealthy, immature rivalry. Shame on The Providence Journal for insulting the collective intelligence of its readers by granting front-page news coverage to such a sophomoric controversy.
I am a graduate of Cranston High School West, but unlike some former students of both Cranston high schools, I realize that my high school days are over and I am now an adult. After teaching World Languages in schools on both “sides” of the city I have returned to Cranston West as a Spanish teacher and to give back to a place which has taught me so much. As a Spanish teacher, I not only spend time teaching kids vocabulary words and verb tenses, but strive to teach acceptance, tolerance, and appreciation for diversity as well.
Although we often think of diversity in terms of race, religion, or ethnicity, I think of diversity as respecting all people regardless of the similarities and differences we share. It is very frustrating to witness adults in the community working against these very concepts. The way I see it, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. If we cannot show respect for the people in our own backyard how are we supposed to teach our children tolerance from a global perspective?
Everyone is entitled to their own feelings and opinions; however, if someone perceives an injustice isn’t it more productive to create an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation? Why not find ways to bring people from both schools together?
For the last two years my students have worked with students from Gladstone Elementary School on a project entitled “Reading Outside the Lines.” This involves high school Spanish students writing books in Spanish and then traveling across the imaginary lines in our city, which were created by past generations, to read to students from many different backgrounds. We seek to erase those lines by fostering an atmosphere of understanding, compassion, and empathy.
In my humble opinion, The Journal was irresponsible to print this story in such a sensationalized fashion which could now incite more trouble between the two schools. Schools today depend upon community stakeholders such as the media to assist us in our endeavors, not to make our school akin to Britney Spears in the latest edition of US Weekly.
As I sat this afternoon in the West auditorium, I was inspired by a group of students singing a song called “Actions Speak Louder than Words.” We all have faults, strengths, and weaknesses, but I think we all need to stop being jealous of what we don’t have and start being thankful for what we do. Let’s focus on the kids who play and perform on the inside of the stadium instead of the sign hanging on the outside. Although having school spirit can lead to a healthy rivalry on the field, court, or in the classroom let’s compete with ourselves to be the best people we can be. Our past may not be perfect, but our future can be better if we can teach our children to work together. We need to embrace our similarities and learn from our differences because, let’s face it, in the school of life we’re all in it together.
Julie Baker
Cranston