Although this article has been referred to in past posts, it is worth bringing attention to again. For an interesting and insightful read on the need for anti-racist education and the limits of multicultural education, see Tyler McCreary's The myth of the multicultural patchwork: Anti-racist education and the problem with multiculturalism. Although respect for culture and cultural inclusion is important, the article clearly and candidly explains why teachers need to do more to address and work against racism.
Excerpt from the article: Anti-racism focuses on the structures, ideologies and institutionalized practices that produce privilege and dis advantage. Rather than trying to “add and stir” diversity into the classroom, anti-racist education seeks to radically shift the balance by bringing students and teachers to a critical consciousness of how the legacy of colonialism has shaped school and society. White privilege, the ongoing violence of colonialism and the myths of meritocracy – these are topics our curricula can and should address.
For a more in-depth analysis that explains why multiculturalism has limits in Aboriginal education read Aboriginal and Anti-Racist Education: Building Alliances Across Cultural and Racial Identity (2007) by Dr. Verna St. Denis. This influential article provides a path that can bring us all together to reach the same goals in First Nations, Metis and Inuit education.
