Part of being "educated" is a basic understanding of where we as a society came from. To sacrifice a general understanding of societal heritage for a preferred cultural heritage is a fallacy. To infuse cultural heritage into a societal heritage would, I believe, be preferred.

Unfortunately, the terms society and culture are often misunderstood and, indeed, used interchangeably. They do not mean the same thing.

A societal heritage is what built the relationships people in the US now have - it, along with the culture, is what built the very fabric that so many people are leaving OTHER societies and cultures to enjoy. An appreciation on one culture need not supplant another.

Granted, the traditional education model in the US has been remarkably centered on the "WASP" heritage of the US. Many do not like that and will substitute "European, Judeo-Christian" for WASP. If you object to the use of the term WASP, I suggest you find a nice, ACCURATE, history of the US, from Colonial times to the present.

The fact is, much of what makes the US what it is stems from precisely that societal and cultural heritage. The appreciation of other, non-WASP aspects is not usually lost, indeed, many people use WASP to identify ANY and EVERY person of European ethnology. (This, too, is incorrect.) The result is a blending or absorption of other groups contributions into society, and its history, and a loss of cultural identity.

A century ago, European immigrants WANTED to lose their identity and become simply "American." The formation of "China-towns" in many large cities reflect an essential racism which prevented the absorption of people into society as a whole. This resulted in a forced bi-lingual sub-society within the mainstream "American" society. The intentional segregation and call for bi-lingual education is a relatively recent development.

Living in an area that is "highly diverse", I can also attest that the language "immersion" programs in my particular area, simply are not working as intended. Two blocks from my house is an "Academie Espaniol" (I'm a terrible speller) - where ALL classes are taught in Spanish. In theory, it makes it easier for the kids to learn. In reality, the teachers' (at this school at least) primary qualification is that they speak Spanish. My grandchildren who went there ("Hispanic" father... why he is Hispanic and not Mexican, the nationality of his birth), when they transferred to a "mainstream" school were a year or more behind in academics, and unable to speak age/grade-level appropriate English - inspite of the efforts of the "meddling WASP" grandparents (never mind that my people were Irish and Scots-Irish and Catholic, hence, a 50-50 average on that accusation - we were White, and the teacher certainly had a point about us "meddling") . Mind you, my OLDEST grandchild is in the third grade NOW - He was in SECOND when he transferred out, the next younger was in FIRST and the one after was in KINDERGARTEN.

I've long held that an appreciation of one's ethnic heritage is important. Also, an appreciation of other ethnic and cultural heritages is ALSO important. The emphasis here is on APPRECIATION - Living in one culture and ignoring what is around you (in the greater scope) for your own comfort (it may be what you were raised with) may be comfortable for you. Your CHILDREN however, deserve the ability to make their own choice.

Living in an American society, not knowing common, western mythic/cultural figures dooms such children to, ultimately, NOT be able to rise out of what and where they were born and raised. Thus, another generation, their children, will be equally doomed to live incomplete lives, outside of the very society their parents sought to exploit. Thus, there is no future, for they have only a segment of their past to build on.

What a rant...

Pete