Talking Point 3

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community
Dennis Carlson
Premise-
Gayness
Community
Abnormal/normal
Identity
Queerness
Silent
Transition
Worth
Dominance
Classification
Isolation
Harassment
Intimidation
Image
Worldview
Tradition
Respect

Argument-
Carlson argues that public school systems need to build new democratic, multicultural communities, where identity is recognized, inequities are challenged and all voices are heard and truths understood. Curriculums containing and representing these differences should replace the silencing and invisibility practices in order to keep a sense of whole community without attacking opinions from one side of the other.
Evidence-
1
“At the level of state educational policy, it is noteworthy that no state currently recognizes gays and lesbians as legitimate minority or cultural groups to be considered in the textbook adoption or to be included in multicultural education.” When educational systems across America promote the idea that being gay is because for a loss of respect it creates negative emphasis and eventually discrimination first hand. Not recognizing something at all is worse then literally putting it down because you are promoting that it has no worth.
2
“Be yourself no matter whom or what you are.” If this idea is expressed from the start of an individual’s education then safety for minorities and acceptance from others will prosper. Children should be taught to be themselves and that whoever or whatever that may be will be accepted and cared for. Because this idea is rarely promoted, minorities tend to lash out because they are not accepted for who they are.
3
“With the collapse of the taboo, straight people can for the first time really listen to gay lives, change their views and in turn express publicly their own feelings.” The more ideas are exposed the easier it is to accept and understand them.
Comments-
This reading was truly eye opening to the proof of restriction placed upon promoting equality and a few small changes could create a community where all are welcomed and cared for. Many good points and subjects where brought up, but I feel many would have been made more understandable with personal examples of specific instances.
I believe that Carlson’s piece relates to may readings of the past in that it focuses on ways to better support and promote minorities so that a community of equality can be developed. I had never recognized how many educational curriculums deny gayness etc. by simply hiding it so that it will not be exposed. This made me realize how simple adding it into the curriculum could spark an age where gays and other minorities are part of the so-called “norm” which individuals are though to accept.

Talking Point 2

Richard Rodriguez- Aria
Concepts, Theme-
Bilingualism
Silence
Language
Family
Identity
Classroom
Teacher
Accents
Closeness
Confidence
Distance
Public voice
Boundaries
Recognition

Rodriguez’s Argument-
Rodriguez argues that there are two ways a person is individualized and promotes the idea that through a lack on one will prosper another. The challenging but necessary process of learning a mainstream language, lack of private individuality and or decrease in family closeness may occur while beneficially becoming apart of public society where an achievement of public individuality is created.
Evidence-
1-“ In an instant, they agreed to give up the language (the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family’s closeness.”(36) When transition in home life language occur, connection and bonds are lost in the translating of new sounds, which creates an unfamiliar and unwelcoming atmosphere. This can many times produce a decrease in private individuality.
2- “ In Spanish, he expressed ideas and feelings he rarely revealed in English. With firm Spanish sounds, he conveyed confidence and authority English would never allow him.”(38) When a new language is learnt it may create new vocabulary for the individual to access, contrarily causing that of emotion and passion to be lost in the translation. With out strong feeling behind the words that we speak, the meaning is taken away creating low individual impact.
3-“ For I was increasingly confident of my own public identity.”(37) When personal individuality is taken away in response to an identity shift in communication barriers, public individuality is many times created it its place. The achievement of finally being recognized and clearly understood is so great when you realize how much stronger and powerful of an individual you are.

Questions/Comments-
I feel that this article created an personal and in depth look into the goods and bad of having to learn and eventually deal with the results of a many times unpleasant experience.
The story-based article was a smooth read as it told a luring tale which also provided evidence of bilingual struggles.
I believe that Rodriquez’s writing is similar to that of Kozal, in the sense that each contains tales to capture the audience’s attention while providing strong facts and information throughout.
I never realized how strongly learning another language could break up and decrease the connections once felt from those same individuals..

Talk Piece 1

Kozal's piece reveals the struggles and tragedies dealt with in Mott heaven, South Bronx. Through the eyes of an adolescent child, as well as a sickly older women, the in and outs of everything from the passing out of clean needles to needing donations to bury a family member are revealed in this society. "City don't have the money for the living, I guess they think: why waste it on the dead." Through their eyes a world of crack-cocaine addicts, aids, prostitution and depression are what most if not all members of such a society represent. This frightening world causes fears and anxieties that are unknown in the everyday lives of privileged families. Religion is a key which helps member from youth to elderly have at least a bit f hope and faith in such hard times. Member cherishes their religion gratefully and take is as a serious and large part of their personal lives. The horror in this society is at such a great extent that the police allow certain illegal actions to take place in order to keep a certain level of peace present. Even facilities such as clinics and hospitals are unreliable in providing good care and or cleanliness for the sick to acquire help from. Such understaffed and lacking of financial support, cause patients to have to wait hours at a time for any assistance, with waiting with other extremely sickly persons who would most likely make one in a deeper position then when first attending the hospital. It has come to the point where it is most times safer and easier to take matters into ones own hands instead of going through the inaccurate and lengthily hospitals and police services. As one extremely sickly woman protests for future care visits, "Do not take me to Harlem Hospital in an emergency."As the insight into this poop area is revealed, Kozal has developed reasoning for why the situation has not improved. He has concluded that because of the lack there of recognition of power which the privileged acquire, changes have not been made. He demands that "people with power are frequently least unaware of-or least willing to acknowledge its existence." Such powerful individuals lack the desire of proof of recognition because then they would see it for themselves as a resource for helping the powerless, which most have no desire to do.Kozal's argument is that he holds the powerful of the world accountable for the problems of poverty and racism in Mott Haven, and many other poor areas. He feels that the hearts of powerful people are evil, in the sense that they will not use their privilege in society and advantages in life to better the lives of the disadvantaged." Pretending that they don't so that they don't need to use it to help people-that is my idea of evil." This idea strongly relates to Delpit's ideas in the sense that teachers have the knowledge and codes to help underprivileged student survive in a dominant culture, but the question is if either situation of power will be used to better others. Also, Delpit also expresses that "those with less power are often most aware of its existence", this relating to Kozal's idea that some poor persons only know how they were brought up and surrounded by, specifically grief and horror. Because of this the ability to recognize the power and not be the wak of our nation is an incomprehensible idea. When all you know is one thing, its hand to recognize another, never mind create it within yourself." We came here in chains and now we buy our own chains and we put them on ourselves."Goldberg's article expressed that he feels the school systems of our nation are changing into a liberal mess with no respect for our country or its efforts, which is his analysis of the basics of Kozal's ideas. He explains that “most lunch table liberals say that they do not love America and would never defend it." Such a system like Kozal's would consist of lack of patriotism, a exposure of liberal racial political views will be pushed along with all individuals taught to desire only the work for a general purpose over the pleasures of individual reward. Also, Kozal's idea that students should admire and strive for strong authoritive powers such as one represented in the Holocaust. Goldberg expresses his own fear of Kozal's idea in," his ideas are put into practice every day in classroom all across American, from high schools all the way down to pre-schools." Goldberg is worried about such views that are being absorbed by our nation's student, and how it will later affect the whole perspective of our world.

About Me

My name is Victoria and I am a freshman at RIC. This semester seems to be going fine and at times I feel it is going better than last semester. I am excited for this semester to end, so I can get into education classes in my field of study.