Multiculturalism in Schools

I find multiculturalism interesting.  I remember when people referred to themselves as black, white, asian or mexican.  I'm not sure when the adjective-Americans began, but I remember how it felt.  It was like all of the sudden we couldn't be just American anymore.  We had to be separated somehow and that's kind of what Samuel Taylor kind of hit on in his literature "The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the Future". 

Taylor stated that we have a history created by white people.  When I was in school I don't remember learning about other cultures.  I know very little about Native Americans, African Americans, Asian American, and Hispanic Americans except what I was taught through the white person's point of view.  In my adulthood I have learned more about specific contributions of all people in America.  We have all made a difference, but how do we teach it as Americans when, as Taylor said, there are sometimes losers within these people groups.

Is keeping the whiter history a form of social control?  Keep the other people groups feeling a little less important by showing how the whites in America won?  I really don't know.  All I have to go on is what I have read by Taylor and it seems that it is very difficult to make an all-inclusive history that doesn't offend someone.  Until we can figure out how to be just American that may never happen.

Another issue we have in schools are the societal segregation.  I keep thinking as I look back, why are we still so segregated.  After reading Pithissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism and American Culture by PJ Tobia it really opened my eyes to how much hate is till out there.  Tobia spoke of the white Aryan groups in the Northwest, but unfortunatley, its not just a white issue.  Every people group has a small grudge or prejudice against another.  Will we eventually be able to put these aside to become one nation?  This may be where a focus on multicultrualism in school may be a good thing.
Many schools promote the students working together.  As they work together they learn that maybe they aren't so different after all. In my own school I see kids hanging out together from a variety of different cultures and it excites me.  Someday we might be just Americans again.

Taylor, Samuel.  "The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism' In How Americans View the Past and the
     Future".  Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165

Tobia, PJ. 2009.  Pithissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism and American Culture.  The Nashville
     Scene.