| © 2007 Permission granted for excerpts or entire article reproduction provided attribution is provided. Media Contact: Rick Weaver 248-802-6138 or rick@mbcglobal.org |
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Stamford School System
takes different look at
integration
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich, USA (December 10, 2007).
As beneficial as it can be to create a diverse population in
the workplace or classroom it can be equally divisive given
ethnicity concerns. The Stamford, Connecticut, school system has taken an innovative approach to solving the problem.
The school board has decided to take a socio-economic approach to school integration. Stamford Public Schools will focus
on three specific criteria: participants in the free/reduced lunch program, students living in income restricted housing, and
ESL students. The school board feels they will achieve a diverse population without making ethnicity an issue.
According to Martin Levine, President of the Board of Education, the district has multiple ethnicities in each of these socio-
economic distinctions. Levine points out, “the English as a Second Language program, as an example, has students from
Polish, Haitian, and Albanian backgrounds, though most of the students are Hispanic.”
Stamford has a growing middle and upper class African-American and Asian populations however the school system is
frustrated because the African-American middle class is more likely to select private schooling. “They are leaving because
they feel their children are not being challenged,” says Levine.
He cites concerns that all minority or all poor schools lead to red-lining or steering by realtors. Problems are also created by
low-income schools as Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTO) have less dollars with which to work as school boosters.
Studies show that by de-emphasizing race while keeping a balanced student body creates better learning environments.
MBC Global, an organization based in suburban Detroit, Michigan, notes that an emphasis on a single factor in establishing
diversity or policy often leads to failure for an organization or business.
“When we use the term ‘multicultural’ to refer to a diverse members of a single culture, such as ethnicity or race, we
create an environment where people focus on the differences between the members of the culture,” says Rick Weaver,
MBC Global President. “By focusing on economic cultures with the validation it transgresses ethnic cultures, people of all
ethnicities will begin to look at common issues crossing-over cultural lines.”
About MBC Global
MBC Global is an international organization based near Detroit, Michigan, dedicated solely to increasing cultural
knowledge and awareness. MBC Global believes the more we know about the cultures flavoring the world the better
equipped we are to appreciate and embrace the differences that make each culture unique. With members representing 6
continents, MBC Global connects cultures through a unique website. MBC Global also offers developmental and training
programs, setting it apart from other cultural organizations. For more information about MBC Global, send an email to
rick@mbcglobal.org or visit www.mbcglobal.org.
takes different look at
integration
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich, USA (December 10, 2007).
As beneficial as it can be to create a diverse population in
the workplace or classroom it can be equally divisive given
ethnicity concerns. The Stamford, Connecticut, school system has taken an innovative approach to solving the problem.
The school board has decided to take a socio-economic approach to school integration. Stamford Public Schools will focus
on three specific criteria: participants in the free/reduced lunch program, students living in income restricted housing, and
ESL students. The school board feels they will achieve a diverse population without making ethnicity an issue.
According to Martin Levine, President of the Board of Education, the district has multiple ethnicities in each of these socio-
economic distinctions. Levine points out, “the English as a Second Language program, as an example, has students from
Polish, Haitian, and Albanian backgrounds, though most of the students are Hispanic.”
Stamford has a growing middle and upper class African-American and Asian populations however the school system is
frustrated because the African-American middle class is more likely to select private schooling. “They are leaving because
they feel their children are not being challenged,” says Levine.
He cites concerns that all minority or all poor schools lead to red-lining or steering by realtors. Problems are also created by
low-income schools as Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTO) have less dollars with which to work as school boosters.
Studies show that by de-emphasizing race while keeping a balanced student body creates better learning environments.
MBC Global, an organization based in suburban Detroit, Michigan, notes that an emphasis on a single factor in establishing
diversity or policy often leads to failure for an organization or business.
“When we use the term ‘multicultural’ to refer to a diverse members of a single culture, such as ethnicity or race, we
create an environment where people focus on the differences between the members of the culture,” says Rick Weaver,
MBC Global President. “By focusing on economic cultures with the validation it transgresses ethnic cultures, people of all
ethnicities will begin to look at common issues crossing-over cultural lines.”
About MBC Global
MBC Global is an international organization based near Detroit, Michigan, dedicated solely to increasing cultural
knowledge and awareness. MBC Global believes the more we know about the cultures flavoring the world the better
equipped we are to appreciate and embrace the differences that make each culture unique. With members representing 6
continents, MBC Global connects cultures through a unique website. MBC Global also offers developmental and training
programs, setting it apart from other cultural organizations. For more information about MBC Global, send an email to
rick@mbcglobal.org or visit www.mbcglobal.org.
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