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June 28, 2006

Diversity in schools is not just kid stuff

There's lots of talk about diversity among students, but rarely mentioned when it comes to teachers. But in Ithaca, N.Y., that's precisely what all the buzz is about. An article in today's Ithaca Journal examines the fact that while one-quarter of the student population in the district belongs to racial or ethnic minority groups, only 6 percent of the teachers are people of color.

Theory holds that minority students may benefit, both socially and academically, from having teachers with whom they feel a cultural connection. Ithaca Superintendent Judith Pastel says, "It's very important that they experience an excellent education program with teachers from very different backgrounds because they're going to benefit from cultural and life experiences of a variety of people."

But how to make it happen? New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) and the National Education Association are calling for new hiring practices and reallocated resources. Says Tim Kremer, executive director of NYSSBA, "We ask boards to consider approving a policy that explicitly states their commitment to a diverse staff. Send a signal that will be heard in every corner of the community. Then boards need to examine their recruitment practices; sometimes you need to go out of your geographic region, and out of your comfort zone, to find the right people. When you get the right people, do what it takes to keep them. Create support structures that welcome individuals and help them succeed. Their talent and influence should be spread among all the students, not concentrated with just one group or a few schools."

Ithaca pulls many of its teachers from local colleges, thus the district is "beholden to the diversity on those campuses," reports the Journal. The article also cites that "Susan Mittler, president of the Ithaca Teachers Association, recalls a string of stories about the ones who got away: teachers who wanted wider social circles, those who sought higher salaries and a candidate who took herself out of the running upon realizing Ithaca had no subway system." Additionally, "since teaching isn't tied to a particular location, job-seekers often choose jobs close to home, further limiting the applicant pool."

Posted June 28, 2006 4:00 PM | Teachers

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