ASSIMILATION FIGHTS POVERTY, NOT MINORITY CULTURES.

Byline: Sterling Delone

E. Pluribus Unum: From Many One.

This is the motto of the United States of America. Every ethnic group in the U.S. - from the ``Native American'' to the most recent immigrant - came from someplace else. The uniqueness of the United States lies in the fact that it began as a modern nation providing idealism and opportunity that has drawn people from all around the world to its shores.

Until the 1960s, the notion of ``From Many One'' was accomplished through the process of assimilation. The new immigrants coming from another country or rural areas within the country modified their ways in order to learn and take advantage of the opportunities offered in this modern society. White ethnics from Europe came here; they learned as much as they could about the language and customs in order to secure jobs, housing and a place in the electoral process.

After the Civil War, many blacks flocked to schools and universities to learn and assimilate middle-class values and mores. During World Wars I and II millions of rural blacks migrated to the urban areas where racial discrimination was milder and education more available. Many parents wanted and expected their children to be educated.

When assimilation was the goal, children of ethnic minorities (black and white) attended school with the express purpose of learning the academic language, self-discipline and personal responsibility. It was very clear that individual excellence would elevate the ``race.'' As a result, many of the poor immigrants reared children that were more ``Americanized'' than them. Many of these children went on to acquire more education, income and social status than their parents. This was viewed as the American way.

However, since the 1960s multiculturalism has rejected assimilation and substituted the notion that every ethnic group is distinctly different and need not become ``Americanized.'' Instead each group should maintain its separate culture-lifestyle and American values should accommodate the learning styles or socioeconomic culture of the group in question.

An outstanding example of this was printed in Viewpoint, March 29, by T.Y. Joe. He states that the primary reason that poor minority students don't perform well in school is because the teachers and administrators don't share the students' values. He asserts that ``the prime reason the students can't absorb the knowledge and the wisdom of the teachers as efficiently as the middle-class students do is that they come to school differently prepared and they see and value things differently from their teachers.''

This is very well true, but it doesn't follow that the student's socioeconomic background precludes a successful academic career.

Never before in American history have people advanced the notion that one's socioeconomic status precluded upward mobility. The American creed has been just the opposite. Casting off the caste system of Europe, America established an opportunity society. Social status is conferred through effort and success.

Multicultural advocates have grasped onto socioeconomic status as yet another category that is unique and immutable. Instead of poor parents and students emulating the success of past generations of immigrants, the multicultural model offers immutable barriers such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference or socioeconomic status.

The result has been ever-increasing poor academic performance on the part of poor minority students. While graduation rates are up, so is the rate of functional illiteracy among minority high school graduates.

The notion that the teachers and administrators should change to meet the lifestyle or cultural needs of the students is to turn the situation on its head. The students and parents need to assert their willingness to take advantage of the bountiful opportunities that reside within the boundaries of the United States.

As the United States becomes more ethnically diverse during the 21st century, E. Pluribus Unum can operate only if we return to the belief that Americans are individuals (not a collection of groups), who are a part of a civic culture (not a Balkanized city-state).

Minority students are capable of far more than their advocates give them credit for. As these students begin to succeed as individuals they will surely contribute to the excellence of their ``race.''