As American As Public School

-

 In Part II of reading on public schools and immigration (1900-1950), I was surprised by the way that education was tied to national identity. The readings made it clear that for most of the early twentieth century, schools were more than just places to learn. They were systems meant to transform immigrant children into "100% Americans." This made me think about what was going on between people's culture and social acceptance.



I agree with this statement: "Most immigrant parents encouraged their children to become acculturated Americans…" This really got to me.  because I have lived through this with my family when we first came to the US. Immigrant families love their culture. Immigrant families valued their culture, but they also knew that learning English, practicing in American traditions, and excelling in school were necessary for a better life. They had to constantly find a balance between keeping their traditions and teaching their children how to succeed in a new environment. This shows both sacrifice and hope. Parents didn't want to let go of their past, but they were willing to do so for their children's future.



I strongly disagree with the idea that minorities must give up the majority of their heritage in order to be accepted in American society. "They include assimilation… only after they give up most of their previous ethnic heritage…" I don't think this should be the way of thinking.

I think People can celebrate their customs, speak their language at home, and still participate completely in American culture. It is unjust and unnecessary to force people to choose between the country and their heritage.


 The quote that I read was “Fearing divided loyalties, political and educational leaders demanded ‘100% Americanism’…” This shows the assumption that you cannot be American while also being a part of your culture, which I don't believe is true. Just because someone speaks a different language or kept family traditions, immigrants were often criticized because of this. But a lot of immigrants arrived here because they liked American beliefs. 


“…the melting of diverse identities into one American identity did not destroy immigrant cultures…” I find hope in the quote. It shows that keeping your cultural and national unity doesn't have to conflict. While people learned to adjust, immigrants continued to openly and proudly celebrate their heritage. I admire the strength of immigrants. They do not need to hide who they are. People got to blend in without getting lost. I want to live in an America where people can be who they truly are and still feel like they belong.


I can really connect part two of the reading because of the fact that I am an immigrant with immigrant parents and I came to the United States really young. So, to my family a lot of things were how to fit in and how to become successful and speak English the right way and do things the American way. So, I definitely grew up trying to fit into the norms of the “100 % American” so much so that I have lost some of my Spanish and I am trying to learn it again because it’s who I am. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ5Acp3oW9Q

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Separate and Unequal

-
Image
After seeing Kandice Sumner's TED Talk, I feel a range of feelings. The significant inequalities in the American public education system are made clear by her speech. especially the systematic underfunding and undeserving of schools in urban, mainly Black and Brown neighborhoods. It's not just about some schools performing better than others. It's about a system that has historically supported inequity. One of the most significant points in the talk was Sumner's difference between the "achievement gap" and what she refers to as the "education debt." If on purpose or not. The term "achievement gap" attaches blame to failing children. It implies that they are either incapable or not making an effort. However, by rephrasing it as "education debt," people see that the issue is not one of students' lack of effort but instead of society's lack of investment.  Her experiences clearly supported this problem. She experienced firsth...
Read more

The Common school - Gellian Fernandez Disla

-
Image
As we read through the Story of American Public Education's "Common School" section, I was surprised by how much the early American education system was shaped by the idea of who should go to school and what type of education they got and how that idea changed over time. There were words and ideas that helped me understand the way that the idea of school changed. One word that stuck out to me was charity. The word charity showed how schools back then worked for those who were considered "poor" These schools were viewed not as a right, but they were looked at as help. The term "charity schools" meant that getting working-class kids an education wasn't yet something that everyone in the community cared about. People treated these schools like it was something given away to the less fortunate, like it was food or clothing. Like getting to go to school was a handout. This made it seem like there was unfairness and division with the students based on th...
Read more