Values Pluralism, in Schools

The definition of pluralism has changed over time as a result of a greater focus on diversity and inequities in opportunities and resources for groups not considered part of the dominant culture. In the early 1900s, philosophers and writers, including Horace Kallen, began to challenge prevailing theories of assimilation that posited the potential for various racial and ethnic groups to blend together in a melting pot designed to create a homogeneous citizenry in the United States. Kallen proposed an alternative view known as cultural pluralism, which valued the distinct contributions that each minority culture made to American society. Subsequent definitions of pluralism vary somewhat. In the 1960s, Milton Myron Gordon advocated for a degree of separation among groups that would guarantee each group's ethnic identity and traditions while promoting cooperation among groups in the areas of political action, economic life, and civic responsibility. More recent notions of pluralism have been influenced by the concept of multiculturalism, which views diversity as part of the normal human experience and advocates for the acquisition and demonstration of dispositions and behaviors that promote understanding and interactions with more than one culture. Contemporary definitions of pluralism recognize diversity as a resource yet acknowledge that inequities in political, economic, and educational opportunities exist for members of historically oppressed groups. To some, pluralism has taken on a more political dimension in which the recognition of differences must be accompanied by action for the purpose of reducing or erasing inequity among groups.

Numerous issues arise for educational leaders who value a contemporary view of pluralism in schools. Critics have argued that leaders must allow every culture within a school fair and adequate time and resources for the reproduction of its distinctive values and definition of citizenry. This approach requires a focus on multicultural education for the purpose of ensuring that all members of a school community appreciate, understand, and learn about each other's cultures. In addition, school leaders who value pluralism and a commitment to social justice need to understand and address how members of various cultural and ethnic groups have been denied economic, educational, and political opportunities in schools as well as in the community at large. Leaders can contribute by promoting policies and instructional practices that assert the need for high expectations for all students and attempt to eliminate differential educational outcomes on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or economic and other differences. Literacy for all students is considered to be essential to positive educational outcomes, while the inclusion of family and community perspectives promotes the values associated with a pluralistic educational environment. At issue for educational leaders is the identification of processes that promote rich dialogue and subsequent action needed to realize the goals of a pluralistic educational environment.