112 ~ , Vol. 39, No. '1

O n e School , Many Cultures , by Centre for Educational Research and Innovation and Or- ganization for Economic Co-operation and De- velopment. Paris, Author.

Re'o~o.~d by James Walsh

[] The intent of this text, as stated by J.R. Gass, the director of CERI, is primarily to reach specialists and policy makers in multi- cultural education. The intent is not to de- scribe specific programs, but rather to clarify trends in multicultural education of OECD member countries. Although the text is au- thored under the OECD organization, Mr. Norberto Bottani of the CERI Secretariat is credited as having prepared the report.

The use of terminology is an important issue throughout the text. At an international level, terminology is affected by the same factors as those that shape culture. Traditions, regional dialects, and migrations all produce subtle dif- ferences in perceptions and definitions of cul- tural activities. This report avoids direct confrontation between cultural diversity and the historical effects of changing terminology in each country representing the issues un- derlying the preparation of multicultural ed- ucation programs. The report is divided into five chapters which describe the CERI proj- ect and lead to a comparison of problems en- countered in national multicultural education policies.

Chapter 1, "The Lines of Investigation," is based on previous research conducted by OECD. This research suggests that multicul- tural education may provide solutions to ed- ucafional problems of children who do not belong to the cultural majority. Specific goals of programs include combating ethnocentri- city, teaching languages and cultures, eli- minating discrimination and prejudice, and establishing respect for the rights of chil- dren. The chapter outlines six specific points that have been identified as unresolved issues:

1. Cultural identity, the interaction between community identity and individual identity.

2. Greater afltural uniformity, which suggests the spread of a uniform world culture. The

true universalism of educational based cul- ture is described as rational thought.

3. Cultural relativism, the equivalence of cul- tures and development of scientific theo- ries of multicultural education.

4. The new minorities, a focus on historical perspectives of creating policies to direct minorities rather than produce cultural education.

5. Multilingual contexts, the incorporation of minority language classes in education to facilitate making the best use of a minor- ity child's linguistic knowledge or ability in continuing education.

6. The ethnic dilemma, the recognition of var- ious cultural differences as equally deserv- ing of respect.

Chapter 2 presents the multicultural con- text of trends in OECD countries. Iceland was noted as the most culturally homogeneous country in Europe. No countries were entirely free from multiculturalism. The socio-geogra- phical context problems of Europe are pre- sented, such as urban changes based upon unequal distribution of minorities. In many countries, the major urban centers and sub- urbs have the highest concentration of mi- notifies.

The final contribution of this chapter is a clarification of terminological misunderstand- ings. Policy terminology has remained vague and ambiguous, with the intent not to offend. An example from the report is: "The increas- ing number of terms with similar meanings marks the emergence of fresh representations of the multicultural situation without there being any real changes in relations between minority and majority ethnic groups" (p. 27). Those terms describing variations in ethnic and cultural education are specific to a coun- try or region and often are not appropriate for use at the international level. Many terms, such as "minority," imply racism.

Multicuttural education policies in the OECD countries are the theme of Chapter 3. The origin, introduction, and characteristics of multicultural educations policies in 11 coun- tries are reviewed. Previous research has fo- cused on legal issues, treating the education

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of minorities as a legal problem, not as a cul- tural or educational problem. The United States is an example, providing Black minor- ity education as a result of the civil rights movement. The review of the 11 countries pro- vides an account of involvement in cultural policy during the development of multicul- tural education.

Chapter 4 presents the issues in the debate on multicultural education. Topics that have not been resolved include the inability of ed- ucation to substantially reduce inequality of opportunity, the uniformity of instructional presentation and the need to foster respect for and encouragement of individual differences. In the United States, the concept of a "melting pot" overlooks cultural differences in an at- tempt to integrate everyone. "Integration" was the battle cry at the beginning of the civil rights movement. "The real goal of multicul- rural policies is the coexistence within the same State of different communities which share among themselves on some fair and agreed basis the jointly-produced wealth and means of subsistence" (p. 59). A social con- sensus is created when all parties involved in- corporate a social contract to make coexistence within that socioeconomic system attractive to both majorities and minorities.

The cultural identity has both individual and collective components within any soci- ety. Both components can be maintained with the help of schools by strengthening the per- sonality and self-confidence of students, lead- ing to their empowerment. Traditionally, schools have not been successful in assum- ing this responsibility. Schools may be instru- mental in forming a collective cultural identity based on the supposition that each culture in- fluences the way it organizes experiences and relates cognitive experiences. Another consid- eration is the actual teaching models that are both generated by and accepted by the cul- ture. These patterns of influence are defined as "multicultural reality" within the text. Schools may choose to remain superficial and teach at a folklore level, thus distorting cul- tural values rather than investing in multicul- rural education.

Schools provide an opportunity for students from differing cultures to meet and interact.

Those social exchanges provide experiences in sharing views of persons with different backgrounds and working to complete tasks together. School should become a place for ac- quisition of rational knowledge. The task of educating becomes one of providing informa- tion, explaining and analyzing problems, and criticizing results. Hesitation and inconsis- tency are described as being all too common to many multicultural education policies.

Chapter 5 reports conclusions developed by the OECD. Basic points, such as that schools and teachers must be adequate before propos- ing multicultural education programs, are pre- sented. The connection between multicultural education and equal opportunity policies is noted. The text is consistent in not identify- ing specific programs or techniques. There are factors affecting the development of multi- cultural education at a national level in each country, such as civil rights, racial tension, poverty, and potential for community vio- lence. These factors lead to specific problems in introducing new policies when a govern- ment is attempting to maintain peaceful co- existence within its borders. The most effective weapon against long-term inequality may well be multicultural education.

This report presents the broad spectrum of international multicultural education. Al- though no best practices are discussed, there is a need for program developers to recognize the extent of multicultural issues without be- coming focused on one district- or state-level concern. This report provides an opportunity for us to shift from what might be a narrow- ing focus, because of the energy we invest in multicultural concerns, and to recognize cul- tural competence as a global responsibility. Is- sues are presented by OECD with the intent to stimulate responsible action. This method may be unsettling to those accustomed to se- lecting from a menu of best practices. []

James Walsh is Research Associate at the Develop- mental Center for Handicapped Persons, Utah State University, Logan.