Shawgi writes: > > CHANGING U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS > > Widespread concern about intercultural relations is growing due > to the profound changes taking place in the composition of the U.S. > population--changes which are causing the U.S. to become a more > culturally diverse nation than ever before. > > The following are highlights from the work of a few of the researchers > and other education writers who have analyzed and commented on these > demographic shifts: > > * In 1980, five out of six Americans were white; one out of six was > black, Hispanic, or Asian. By 2000, the proportion of whites will > have dropped to two out of three, while the minority proportion > will have doubled to a third. > * The above distinctions mask significant internal diversity. > Hispanics, Asians and immigrant whites come from many different > countries and cultures. > * The white population is both older and less prolific than many > other groups. > * Of the ten countries sending the most new immigrants to the U.S., > five are Caribbean, three are Asian, and one is South American. > The only European source of immigrants in the top 10 is the former > Soviet Union. > * By the year 2000, Hispanics will comprise the largest single > segment of school-aged children in California and throughout the > Southwest. By the year 2020, California's whites will account for > only 40 percent of the state's population. > * "Minorities" constitute the majority of school enrollments in 23 > of the nation's largest cities. > * By the year 2000 more than 50 major U.S. cities will have a > "majority minority" population. > * The school population with limited English proficiency (LEP) has > increased by more than 250 percent in the past decade. Increases > in the number of LEP students are occurring even in school > districts with declining enrollments. In New York City, 35 percent > of public school students speak a language other than English at > home. > > (American Jewish Committee 1989; Banks 1988; Burstein 1989; Gay > 1988; Grossman 1991; Grundy 1992; Parrenas and Parrenas 1990) > > At the same time that the school-aged population is becoming more > multicultural, the teaching profession is becoming more mono-cultural. > In 1985, approximately 88 percent of the U.S. teaching force was > white; by the year 2000 this is expected to increase to 95 percent > (Burstein 1989; Pine and Hilliard 1990; Sleeter 1990). This imbalance, > too, can be a source of intercultural tension, since the values and > teaching/learning approaches of the predominantly white staff can > often work to the academic and social advantage of white students and > to the disadvantage of others (Pine and Hilliard 1990, p. 597). > > > Shawgi Tell > University at Buffalo > Graduate School of Education > [EMAIL PROTECTED] How does this compare to past periods of high immigration like the late nineteenth and early twentieth century? Especially in urban areas? One perhaps not very progressive cultural solution would be to expand the definition of what is considered "white" to include most Hispanics and Asians. Many European immigrants were not initially considered "white", but became white over time. Terry McDonough
