Cultural Proficiency in Public Education Is Not Proficient

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American public education calls for CULTURAL PROFICIENCY, in the educational program and environment.  The focus on God and country in which many of us were educated is being replaced with the new value system of humanism and globalism that demolishes our Judeo-Christian heritage basic to the foundation of our nation.

CULTURAL PROFICIENCY means leaders are to be responsive to different ethnic, linguistic, and religious subcultures so as to not place these students at risk of being excluded from the benefits of a high-quality education. By valuing diversity and preserving the cultural dignity of students, it is supposed to enable educators to have an inclusive and instructionally powerful learning environment.  But what proof is there this really works and that in trying to help a few much more damage is done to the many?  I propose that it really is not proficient, but harmful, as it corrodes the educational base!

Filmmaker Colin Gun has a DVD documentary labeled, “Indoctrination:  Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America,” in which he addresses this situation of what he calls the ‘diabolical strategy’ perpetrated on nation’s youth.  This DVD is available from WND on the Internet. I have not seen the film, but it does make me think!

Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist, wrote that:  “Every Christian parent with a child in a government school should see this [movie] and be forced to confront their unwillingness to do what Scripture requires for the children on loan to them by God. A mass exodus from government schools is the only way to preserve the souls and minds of our children, whether it gets the attention of politicians or not…and it would.”

We do have a major crisis in the Public Schools, and it is to be blamed greatly on concepts such as CULTURAL PROFICIENCY. There are many examples, but this particular one will suffice to illustrate the point!

Bertrand Russell, the renowned atheist and critic of religion, in 1957 wrote in the preface of his book, Why I Am Not a Christian, that “all the great religions of the world—Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Communism (are) both untrue and harmful” and that “I wish to see a world in which education aimed a mental freedom, rather than imprisoning the minds of the young in a rigid armor of dogma calculated to protect them through life against the shafts of impartial evidence.”  Russell’s wish is unfolding in the contemporary American culture, as there is the turning away especially in education from patriotism and reverence of God, as turning towards guidelines such as CULTURAL PROFICIENCY in public education.

The freedom we know in America is a product of our Judeo/Christian values, and it is a responsible freedom-not a type of license to do as one wishes.  It does not “imprison the mind,” as Russell suggested, but truly frees it.  However, in America we are observing a shift in understanding from what was once a responsible freedom to a perverted freedom-free love, free lifestyles, on to free everything, which developed from the 1960s.  Bondage is building in our land; economically, socially, and psychologically, and it develops from the anti-nominal behavior in our whole society.  CULTURAL PROFICIENCY only amplifies anti-nominal behavior, a major educational problem!

II Peter 2:19 touches this, as it says, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” Then too, the Apostle Paul warned of this condition saying, “There shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, an bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”  CULTURAL PROFICIENCY germinates from the dogma of secularism that leaves our society without the roots that were basic to the formation of our culture!

An example of CULTURAL PROFICIENCY regards a situation where four male students at Adolfo Camarillo High School in California showed their patriotism at school sporting event by wearing American flag bandanas and chanting ‘USA! USA!’  Officials stepped in and stopped them and the four boys were subsequently suspended from school.

The principal, Glenn Lipman, thought the chants ‘might’ have been racially motivated.  Yes, just chanting “USA!” was thought to be racially motivated because a large part of the student body was Hispanic, and they might have been offended by the chant. The principal explained his actions, saying:  “We wanted to make sure [their actions weren’t] racially motivated, and I told the kids I just want to be sensitive to the feelings of everybody.  If we’re doing it for patriotism, that’s fine. But if we’re doing it for something else that’s racially motivated, I’m not going to allow that.”

The Oxnard Union School District Superintendent, Gabe Soumakian, told Fox News Radio:  “…we need to pursue this further” and “work with teachers and students and the community about the concept of CULTURAL PROFICIENCY.”  (Students Suspended for Chanting ‘USA! USA!’ –The Last Resistance by Francis Marion, Feb. 16, 2013)

In contrast, Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia did not practice CULTURAL PROFICIENCY, but angered some Australian Muslims by saying she supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques, saying “’IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT….Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture.”  She went on to say, “Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.” 

The Australian Prime Minister disregards CULTURAL PROFICIENCY, believing that affirming one’s own culture is vital.  Would not it be great, if we had a leader like her, and maybe some of our educational problems might start finding some solutions?

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by Joe Renfro, Ed.D., Educational Columnist, Radio Evangelist, Retired Teacher and Pastor, 5931 West Avenue, Lavonia, Georgia 30553,  706-356-4173, joerenfro@windstream.net