Reference no: EM133427390
Revisiting the Opening Case Study
In the opening scenario for this chapter, Dr. Hovestadt was excited about sharing the good news with the Patel and the Rose families that their children had been selected as the school's convocation speakers. In the previous years, the parents of the students selected had always been ecstatic, thanking Dr. Hovestadt and heaping praise on the school and the teachers.
Dr. Hovestadt felt blindsided by Mr. Rose's insistence that the convocation be rescheduled as to not conflict with his religious observances. While there were other Jewish children who had attended the school in the past and did so currently, this was the first time that a religious conflict had become an issue. Should this and all other schools' administration be expected to be cognizant of all possible religious observances in our increasingly diverse society?
Every student in every school should be able to expect that his or her school will value every student's cultural values, and that includes their religious values and practices. Unexpected conflicts and issues are inevitable when our schools serve so many students from so many cultural groups. How the school meets and addresses these challenges is the real determinant of how much a school's administration and staff truly value diversity.
Reflect and Apply
1. What are some of the ways that school personnel can respond to a parent who has an issue or problem with the school? Are there ways to minimize the likelihood of an angry confrontation? How can we assure parents and students that we care about their concerns?
2. How can you better inform yourself about the religiously diverse backgrounds of the students and staff in your school?
3. What measures can be put into place to address cultural issues and conflicts when they surface?