LATEST SUBMISSIONS

The "Melting Pot" is unique to America

Saturday, July 7 at 12:01 AM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Lisa Mieritz, MSA Director, Economics in Education, Inc.

One of the reasons American Muslims by-in-large reject extremism is that they have been integrated into our ‘Melting Pot’ through public education.

Through public education, Muslims, and all ethnic and religious groups, have been given a stake in the system and value America’s economy and society, which sustain them.

The ruling of the Supreme Court on June 28, 2007, could “ghettoize” (ethnically concentrate) education, not only allowing but, in fact, promoting “separate but equal” funding for neighborhood schools of different ethnic make-ups.

As it stands, “quasi-ethnic” schools such as mostly Anglo suburban accelerated schools, largely African-American, highly-regimented urban schools, and predominantly Hispanic, ‘Caesar Chavez-type’ schools are all publicly funded.

What, then, is preventing the formation and public funding of “Tariq’s (meaning “morning star’s”) World School, with a distinctly ‘Mid-Eastern’ character? This type of school is often a ‘charter’ school, run largely free of governmental oversight. I do not mean to imply that such a ‘Mid-Eastern’ focus would be any less socially desirable than any other ‘ethnically-concentrated’ school.

The Supreme Court decision forbade local school districts from voluntarily instituting integration programs, which used the race of a child as a factor in assigning him or her to specific schools. Hundreds of school districts throughout the country have adopted such programs for both educational and civic reasons. The legality of all of these voluntary programs is now in question.

If we forgo our “Melting Pot” paradigm, we will be ‘ghettoizing’ and ‘Balkanizing’ America to our own great disservice and at our own peril, extinguishing millions of potential relationships among both adults and children of different cultures and religions in our country. In light of Great Britain’s experience this week, such divisions within a society are very sobering.

We must continue to include all Americans in our Melting Pot. Indeed, it is this Melting Pot, which has produced America’s vibrant society and economy.

Lisa Mieritz, MSA, is director, Economics in Education, Inc., at economicsineducation@earthlink.net.

READER COMMENTS

right, the Koran says "hate america"
just like the bible says "bomb iran"

prejuidice and biggotry are born of ignorance and sloth.
Mr. Amen, you are prejuidice and a bigot.

Posted by on July 10, 2007 01:19 PM

Muslims are another group not assimilating into American society. They stay to themselves and have been eerily silent on what radical Muslims have doing all over the world in the name of their God Allah.

They have mostly their own schools because they do not like the teachings of the western world.They live here to take advantage of our freedoms to make money.They could careless about America.They are here for they money .

They hide behind their Mosques and no one knows what is being taught in their. It is hard to infiltrate their Mosques.

For the most part Muslims hate America and what we stand for. If they didn't they would not be following the Koran.

Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on July 8, 2007 07:49 AM

I fail to see how the Supreme Court's decision will impact Muslims in the Mieritz "Melting Pot" of American culture. First, I am not aware of any public school programs currently in place that target Muslims for integration. Second, the decision did not reverse Brown v. Board of Education as it relates to state sponsored segregation. Third, it would seem that the ruling does not impact the "quasi-ethnic" schools issue that Ms. Mieritz fears. Truly, it would seem that Ms. Mieritz doesn't like the decison for reasons other than those stated.

Posted by Craig Miller on July 8, 2007 07:36 AM

...what a politically correct load of crap.

Posted by Golden on July 7, 2007 11:31 AM

"The Supreme Court decision forbade local school districts from voluntarily instituting integration programs, which used the race of a child as a factor in assigning him or her to specific schools. Hundreds of school districts throughout the country have adopted such programs for both educational and civic reasons. The legality of all of these voluntary programs is now in question."

This programs were NOT "voluntary". If they had been, the students being discriminated against, and their parents, would have no cause of action. This is a rather amazing justification for bigotry! The legality of these NON-voluntary programs has been in question for decades, at least since the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The question has been answered: bigotry and discrimination payed for by taxpayers is unconstitutional. You want a voluntary program? Start a private school where you can practice your racism with true VOLUNTEERS who pay the cost. Taxpayers have a right to NOT being discriminated against using their own money.

Posted by RS on July 7, 2007 08:49 AM