Cultural Diversity

You have learned about multiple types of diversity that can be found in the classroom. Now, you are going to research different scenarios dealing with cultural diversity in education to support your opinions.

Split up into groups of 4

For each scenario, you will be given a role to take on. You will research information about the issue dealing with diversity in order to support the role you were given. You will then discuss with your group and "present" your findings to the "school board".

When your group is not presenting, you will be acting as part of the school board voting on the other issues being presented to you. 

Group 1:

Role 1: Parent for

Role 2: Parent against

Role 3: Classroom Teacher

Role 4: School Administrator

Scenario: Unlike other religions, whose followers can pray at random, Muslims are required to pray at specific times during the day. In addition, the prayer must be recited while facing Mecca. This can be disruptive in your classroom. Your school has several Muslim students who have asked for the school to set aside a special place for them to pray during the required times. They make the point because Islam is a way of life, it is extremely important that they follow the requirements. However, some Christian parents are complaining that because their children are no longer allowed to pray in school, Muslims should not be allowed to pray either. (Haralson, Hoaglund, Birkenfeld, Rogers, 2016)

Group 2:

Role 1: Parent for

Role 2: Parent against

Role 3: Classroom Teacher

Role 4: School Administrator

Scenario: There is a female student in the building who identifies as a male. His parents want the school to give him a separate bathroom where he can change for PE and use the facilities. They believe that he will be bullied in the other restrooms and locker rooms at the school. Another parent has said that this is inappropriate, and school funds should not be used for making another bathroom facility for only one student.

Group 3:

Role 1: Parent for

Role 2: Parent against

Role 3: Classroom Teacher

Role 4: School Administrator

Scenario: Each class in a rural high school has class dues. Each year the student and family is asked to pay $25. This helps with the costs that the class accrues during homecoming and then for prom and graduation. One student did not pay class dues during his high school career. Now he is a senior and has been told that the school will not give him his diploma until his class dues are paid. The family is poor and does not have an extra $100 to make up for the unpaid class dues. The parent of the boy said it is unfair to deny the child his work because the family is not well-off enough to pay the dues. Another parent has come forward and said that allowing the student to graduate without paying class dues would tell other students that class dues are not important and are voluntary.

Group 4:

Role 1: Parent for

Role 2: Parent against

Role 3: Classroom Teacher

Role 4: School Administrator

Group 4: There is a student in general education classes with a physical disability. The student has an IEP that helps with mobility around the school and classroom. The student also struggles with fine motor skills, so teachers have been willing to let her do a percentage of homework assignments because of her fine motor struggles. Now that she is in high school, there is one teacher who believes she should complete all of the homework just like any other student. This is a history teacher who gives long writing assignments that are to be hand-written and are 3 to 4 pages in length. The parent has asked the teacher to let her type the assignments and he has said no because she could have someone else type it. The parent has asked for her to only complete half of the assignment. The teacher has said no, because it is not specified in her IEP. The parent believes that the teacher should make the accommodation whether the student has an IEP or not because it is what is best for the student.

Group 5:

Role 1: Parent for

Role 2: Parent against

Role 3: Classroom Teacher

Role 4: School Administrator

Group 5: A parent of an African-American student has asked that the school take the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn out of their novel list for the school year. She thinks it is degrading to her son to read about his ancestors using the language used in the novel. The teacher says that she first teaches about the difference in the language used in the story compared to appropriate language today. The parent does not believe this will be enough to stop students from using that connection with her son. She is concerned how the story will affect him in the school setting.

Each member of the faculty who is not in the group will be members of the school board. These members will vote at the end of the presentation for which role they think had the best support for their opinion and presented it in a professional manner. 

The school board will discuss the issue together and then vote independently.

To wrap up this webquest, everyone will be asked to relate these issues of diversity to something in their classroom and discuss new thinking they have gained.

Haralson, M., Hoaglund, A., Birkenfeld K., & Rogers, B. (2016). Using webquests to support pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward diversity: a model for the future. Education, 136(4), 413-420.