Damen Kugel

Critical Issues -Edu 601

July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

Diversity Project
I have just completed my first year teaching at Tri County Public Schools, as the junior
high science teacher. This fall, I will enter into my second year teaching 7th grade life science,
8th grade earth science, and 9th grade physical science.
Tri County School District is a class C2 district, located on highway 103 south of Dewitt.
Tri County serves citizens in Jefferson, Gage, and Saline counties. It is comprised of students
from the various towns of DeWitt, Plymouth, Swanton, Western, and rural Beatrice. Tri County
is a very rural district comprised of many families involved in farming. Most students come from
family-centered homes comprised of white collar, middle class parental figures. 35% of students
qualify for free and reduced lunch. Racially, the student demographic is comprised of 7%
minority students including: 4% Hispanic, 2% Alaska Native, and 1% African American; 93% of
students are Caucasian. 20% of the student body is enrolled in our special education program,
and there are currently no English Language Learners (ELL) students enrolled in the district.
The Tri County School district itself consists of one preschool through high school
building. Tri County Schools is comprised of approximately 429 students in grades K-12. 51% of
all students are male, and 49% female. The average graduating class size is 35, with an average
class size of 17. Tri Countys staff consists of 3 administrative positions, 35 teachers and 35
classified staff members; all faculty and staff at Tri County are 100% Caucasian. 17 of the
certified teachers have masters degrees and average nearly 20 years of classroom. The district
has 2 full time counselors, a media specialist, art, music, band, physical education, computer
science, instructional design, horticulture, and core classes. Most staff commutes from the local
communities, however, a few staff travel from as far as Seward and Lincoln.

Damen Kugel
Critical Issues -Edu 601
July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

Article 1: Will San Diego's Public Schools Survive?

This article centers on the financial issues and lack of funding in San Diego Public
Schools. The article depicts successes in a multicultural and diverse district with excellent
leadership, teachers, and students who want to learn. However, the district lacks the funds to
keep its doors open due to concerns of bankruptcy, caused by legislation withholding funds. This
article is very concerning to the San Diego district because they lack the funds to function and
remain operational. This article is very different from the local funding at Tri County. Tri County
is a very land rich school that is largely funded by local taxes. As long as farmland continues to
rise in cost, so will taxes that are distributed to the district. As a school district, we do not have
financial concerns or the diversity that an urbanized school district as San Diego possesses.
Article 2: Urban Education: Issues and the Future
This article focuses on the differences between urban schools and less populated schools,
such as Tri County. The article discusses the differences that teachers face in the classroom such
as larger class sizes, diverse groups of students, and language differences. The concern is that
urban schools are often overcrowded and lack proper staffing of teachers. As a result, the
diversity that is prevalent in the classroom faces many difficult battles. Teachers in the urban
district interact with students of various ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and are often times
multi-lingual. I found this article very interesting because I do not have any ELL students in my
school, nor do I face a diverse population. 93% of Tri County is Caucasian and come from
similar family backgrounds as myself.

Damen Kugel
Critical Issues -Edu 601
July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

Article 3: Talk With Your Students about Trayvon Martin

This article is motived and centered on the Trayvon Martin shooting in Miami, Florida.
The article calls out to educators to discuss the important issue within our classes. The article
wants teachers to discuss the controversial current event and tragic death of Trayvon Martin. The
authors want teachers to talk with students about the importance of race and a diverse society.
The authors believe that classroom discussions could bring up emotions and feelings that are
necessary when living in a diverse and multicultural society. As a science teacher, this subject
doesnt relate to my curriculum, however, I am aware that in our high school classroom students
discuss current issues similar to this every day. I often wonder if the rural fabric of Tri County
shelters our students from many world connections often dealing with diversity.
Article 4: Media stereotypes, lgbt youth and a documentary
This article depicts and argues stereotypes falsely created by the media. The article
focuses on "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender stereotypes created by Hollywood which
often are not accurate with the lifestyle of the specific group. The stereotypes, which harm
educational teachings, often cause students of these groups to not voice their opinions within the
classroom, causing them to lose their voice. However, the article points out that teachers and
students need to be educated about specific groups in order to be educated and well informed in
order to eliminate stereotypes. I found this article very interesting because it relates to schools
like Tri County. Students in our school are rural, white, farm kids who have rarely traveled or
seen the world. As a result, they rely on media to define the world around them and are often
misinformed which has societal consequences.

Damen Kugel
Critical Issues -Edu 601
July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

Considering the articles, the video, and the context of Tri County Schools, I have
identified an action plan and goals necessary to increase student knowledge of cultural, social,
and economic diversity, and the teaching changes that colleagues and I need to exhibit to
enhance student learning. First, Tri County needs to adopt a more diverse and multicultural
curriculum to teach within Social Studies classes. Students should be able to discuss
misconceptions and current events openly without of the fear of being labeled as racist or sexist.
Next, students should be expected to bring in current events that are relative to the world around
them and that are either of concern or debatable. Students need to possess the basic
understanding that the world is ever-changing and will continue to be more diverse. In addition,
teachers need to be open and willing to discuss issues with students, without administrative
repercussions. Finally, teachers and staff need to be willing to engage students in diverse learning
opportunities that involve both current and historic events in cross curriculum areas. Students
need to see that race, gender, and ethnicity isnt just a conversation to have in Social Studies but
other core areas as well. By implementing these simple three steps into Tri County Public
Schools, I believe the school will further educate students about the diverse world around them
and eliminate many misconceptions projected by the media.
This summer I have had the opportunity to travel to Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii with a
group of senior students from Tri County. These places are clearly more diverse than small town
Nebraska. However, it was interesting to experience a discriminative feeling when surrounded
by other races and ethnicities. I felt that I was being watched and analyzed based on my race and
lack of local connections. It was particularly interesting to watch the students as they were
exposed to various customs and traditions familiar to the natives. The students openly
participated in all aspects of the trip trying new foods, dances, style, and customs that were

Damen Kugel
Critical Issues -Edu 601
July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

unfamiliar to them. They did so without hesitation, however, to my surprise the words weird or
different werent used in reference to the natives. Instead, students from Tri County were open
to new ideas, which surprised the sponsors and I. This misconception just goes to show that just
because students are from small town America, doesnt mean they arent open to new ideas,
despite the media.

References

Damen Kugel
Critical Issues -Edu 601
July 9, 2012
CI-Assignment Eight

Carpenter, J., & Weathers, S. (2012, April 18). Talk with your students about trayvon martin .
Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/04
DeWitt, P. (2011, September 30). Urban education: Issues and the future. Education Week.
Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org.proxyweb.doane.edu/edweek/finding_
common_ground /2011/09/urban_education_issues_and_the_future.html?qs=diverse
classrooms
DeWitt, P. (2011, October 10). Media stereotypes, lgbt youth and a documentary worth
watching. Education Week. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding
common _ground /2011/10/media_stereotypes_lgbt_youth_and_a_documentary
_worth_watching.html?qs=diverse classrooms
Ravitch, D. (2011, November 1). Will san diego's public schools survive?. Education Week.
Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org.proxyweb.doane.edu/edweek/BridgingDifferences/2011/11/will_san_diegos_public_schools.html?qs=urban schools