Multi-Culturalism...

Unfortunately I was not able to make the Burlington trip, but after today's discussion I feel very strongly about a few things...
One thing that bothered me was the use of the term "assimilation," which I believe should be done away with. We should not teach children to "blend." Diversity is a beautiful thing that we can all learn from and should accept. This country was founded upon immigrants and various cultures and heritages. There technically is no such thing as an "American" culture, and yet we get so caught up in what we have come to believe is "American." If anything, American culture includes EVERY culture- bits and pieces from around the world creating the country we live in today. We should be proud of it and embrace it and LEARN from it.
Yes, there are practices in other cultures that are unacceptable or even illegal here in America, and those things need to be taught to those new to the country. BUT even those practices (while they cannot be done here in America) should be respected and understood. Even the most controversial things have learning value. People need to be taught to put themselves in eachothers shoes. Learn to see the world through others' eyes. The world is not made up of only people like yourself... and the beliefs you hold and the practices that are a part of your culture may not be RIGHT in the eyes of others. The truth is, there is no wrong and right when it comes to culture. It is all about perception and personal, spiritual beliefs among other more complex emotions that may be attached. While we may view things as wrong or weird or even cruel, to others it may just be a part of everyday life. And while we personally may NEVER partake in certain practices or find it difficult to understand other cultures, we have to somehow come to the conclusion that that is the beauty of this world.
People are different. Cultures are unique. Beliefs are controversial. It is all a part of this life. There is no normal. Everything around us is there to create us, to shape us, to influence us. We need to stop getting so tied down to how we were raised or our own personal beliefs and begin opening ourselves up to all the world has to offer.
There should be no such thing as assimilation, only acceptance. There should be no set "American" culture, only an infinite avenue for growth. Schooling is not about teaching children to blend, it is about teaching them to stand out and let the world witness loud and clear all the good they have to offer. Their culture and background and life experiences are a HUGE part of that, and therefore should not be taken away, but instead embraced. Even the things we view as wrong in our society should not necessarily be shunned, but instead talked about in deep discussions so that they can be understood rather than judged.
Overall it is about teaching children to become productive adults who can offer the world a vast variety of things. And I believe strongly that to bring about a positive future and successful world (that maybe one day can coexist peacefully), individuality and respect (more than anthing else) should be heavily instilled in our youth.