Diversity In The Classroom: A Case Study

All students should have access to a diverse staff. The Assessment of Diversity in America’s Teaching Force (2004) states that more minority teachers would provide opportunities for all students to learn about ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity, and serve as cultural brokers, able not only to help students navigate their school environment and culture, but also to increase the involvement of other teachers and parents. It is important for all students to interact with people who look and act differently than they do in order to build social trust and create a wider sense of community. The benefits of diversity are not just for minority students. They are also important for white students (Boser, 2014). Furthermore, research shows that minority teachers often serve in a variety of capacities, such as role models, surrogate parents, disciplinarians, counselors, and advocates for minority students across the nation (Hudson & Holmes, 1994). Additionally, minority teachers often conveys the expectation that minority students can and will succeed to all …show more content…
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2003), the number of minority teachers nationwide was not representative of the number of minority students. The Condition of Education 2016 report stated that between the fall of 2003 and the fall of 2013, the percentage of white students enrolled in public schools decreased 59% to 50%. In contrast, the percent of Hispanic students enrolled increased from 19% to 25% (The Condition of Education, 2016). The diversity within the population has significantly shifted, but the diversity within the teaching faculty has not. The AACTE study reported that the National Center for Education Statistics (2012) data showed that minority students made up more than 45% of the PreK-12 population, whereas teachers of color only made up 17.5% of the educator workforce (Deruy,