Issues of multiculturalism and schooling

This week I decided to explore the issues of multiculturalism and schooling. With no doubt when we come across the word ‘multiculturalism’ we think of a diverse range of cultures and ethnicity. But, do you realise how many times you encounter such situations of communicating and engaging with people of a different cultural background to yours? Some people may encounter these experiences more often than others possibly due to their geographical locations or the schools they attend. Why would schools effect how an individual encounter experiences of cultural diversity? According to Christina Ho (2011) schools are an example of a space labelled ‘micropublics’. There are definitely similar places besides schools that illustrate micropublics but, I will focus on schools as micropublics where people are mixing and negotiating with diverse backgrounds is inevitable (Ho, 2011). Further in exploring schools as a particular space of micropublics, I look at issues in an article I found in the Sydney Morning Herald titled: The white bread playground: top private schools shun ethnic diversity (2012), by Andrew Stevenson.

The article puts forward that there is a less cultural diversity in some private schools in particular Sydney’s high-fee private schools (Stevenson, 2012). Recent migrants are less likely to enrol their children in private schools in Sydney (Stevenson, 2012). However, some areas across Sydney have more students who come from a language background other than English (LBOTE) within private schools (Stevenson, 2012). For instance, independent schools such as Trinity and Meriden, both in the inner west, have more than half of their student population who comes from non-English-speaking backgrounds (Stevenson, 2012). Similarly, high schools such as Monte Sant’ Angelo and St Ignatius, have merely less than 10 per cent of students who said that they or their parents speak a language other than English (Stevenson, 2012). In comparison to some of Sydney’s high-fee paying private or independent schools, public schools such as Auburn Girls and James Ruse, 96 to 98 per cent of students come from diverse language groups (Stevenson, 2012). Despite government high schools relatively accommodating more students from different cultures, some areas of Sydney, in particular the city’s north shore and southern suburbs, continues to enrol fewer students from non-English speaking backgrounds (Stevenson, 2012). However, is Ho’s (2011) idea of micropublics reflecting the diversity within private high schools?

Ho (2011) states that more culturally diverse school communities are will allow students to develop greater communication, negotiation and recognition skills towards multiculturalism. But, Stevenson’s article suggests that private schools do not always accommodate for multiculturalism due to factors such as the school’s enrolment policies. For instance, Monte has greater preference towards children of ex-students (Stevenson, 2012). Similarly, there is guarantee entry for students who have been enrolled since their birth in some private schools (Stevenson, 2012). Parents who are in favour of multiculturalism are alarmed that in some private schools there is a particular concentration of ethnicity besides Anglo-Saxon (Stevenson, 2012). Private schools are found have low levels of cultural diversity (Ho, 2011). This is can have an adverse effect for young people as private schools cannot provide a sufficient environment for students to comprehend with cultural differences, restricting cultural experiences and limiting the potential of developing the young person’s identity (Ho, 2011).

The onus of private schools not acquiring greater ethnicity is not always on them considering some parents may see public schools more attractive. For example, parents may see a child being accepted into James Ruse (a selective public school) is far greater than sending their children to a private school such as Ravenswood (Stevenson, 2012). Similarly, private schools that do have low levels of ethnic cultural diversity such as Ravenswood are committed in promoting multiculturalism (Stevenson, 2012). Ravenswood has experienced difficulty in appealing to the migrant Asian communities (Stevenson, 2012). In addressing this problem, Ravenswood introduced Chinese as one of its languages subjects to appeal more to Chinese Australians (Stevenson, 2012).

To conclude, do our Australian schools provide a good example for the idea of micropublics (A question Ho raises in her literature)? From Stevenson’s article, it demonstrates that our private schools in particular, are challenged with having students coming more from English-speaking backgrounds. But, it is not always in the private school’s control to attract particular students. Some parents may consider government (public) schools over high-fee paying private schools. Ho (2011) suggests that it is important for institutions such as schools to be an example of micropublics to encourage conflict and harmony and allowing students to have a greater understanding and experience with diverse cultures.



REFERENCES:

Ho, C 2011, ‘Respecting the presence of Others: School micropublics and everyday multiculturalism’, Journal of Intercultural Studies, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 603-619.

Stevenson, A 2012, 'The white bread playground: top private schools shun ethnicity diversity', Sydney Morning Herald, 12 June, accessed 1 October 2013, <http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/the-white-bread-playground-top-private- schools-shun-ethnic-diversity-20120611-20663.html#ixzz2gfDxxKl2>.