Education is a culture we could choose to share... but don't

Cultural diversity is running rampant in the United States. Or, more accurately, most Americans claim a link to and a pride in their ethnic, geographic, religious, or other "roots."

What Americans aren't doing is becoming fluent in any culture but the one they like the best. There's nothing inherently wrong with embracing some aspect of your history, but as most Americans speak only English, most Americans only embrace or even acknowledge one culture.

We are all members of multiple cultures. Hardly anyone in the U.S. is a member of only one ethic group. The majority can trace their lineage back to multiple countries. Go back far enough and every family will find a change of religion somewhere in its history. But, many (I suspect most) people choose to identify with only one culture from their family or personal background.

Choosing one culture is not a problem. Choosing only one culture is a problem.

Why? Because it separates us and gives us notions such as "The War on Christmas," (which has spawned at least one book on the subject). A lack of multi-cultural fluency causes differences in cultural to be viewed as attacks.

One culture that we all should share (there are more) is the culture of education.

It's a fairly standard belief in the United States that going to college is a good thing. It is, but not for the reason most people cite – to get a good job. The most important thing college students can learn is how to be a part of the shared culture of education. Here are some aspects of that culture:

• be skeptical, but open-minded
• think critically
• evaluate the evidence
• if there is no evidence, do some research to find some
• respect other people's ideas
• give credit where credit is due

Anyone familiar with higher education in America might not recognize these as aspects of actual academic culture, and rightly so, but they serve as a starting point. This list is clearly not exhaustive and should apply to elementary and secondary education as well as higher education.

Americans go to public or private school, or are home-schooled because the law requires it. The law requires it because it gives Americans one basis for shared culture and understanding. It allows us to embrace our diversity without embracing separateness.

More later,
Russ