9/5/07

NY Times: Letter writer in favor of melting pot assimilation

Do we disagree about these charter schools? Or is the letter writer right?

Re “Hebrew Charter School Spurs Florida Church-State Dispute” (front page, Aug. 24):

If our society is to be one of assimilation and inclusion, that very concept of a melting pot, then charter schools such as Ben Gamla and Khalil Gibran International Academy, and who knows how many others of like ilk, have no place in public education. These are schools teaching ethnic specifics having value only to these groups. Not only do they reinforce separateness, but they also provide no knowledge that could be considered necessary for the furtherance of an American society.

Moreover, English is the language of this country. Our efforts should be furtherance of English competence. Those who wish second language proficiency can do so on their own time with their own financing.

Charter schools that teach specific knowledge that would have wide application might have a place somewhere in the public school pantheon. Those cited above do not.

Richard M. Frauenglass
Huntington, N.Y., Aug. 24, 2007

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"If our society is to be one of assimilation and inclusion, that very concept of a melting pot,..."

I prefer the concept of a salad bowl. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Salad_bowl_(cultural_idea)

TCM said...

hello Tzvee,how are u there..??