A Tribute to Dr. James A. Banks — The Father of Multicultural Education: In These Troubling Anti-EDI Times

A few days ago, I went to my office to get one of my students a book of great interest. In searching the shelves, I came across Dr. James A. Banks’ An Introduction to Multicultural Education. I had an immediate epiphany: How timely Banks’ book is in these most troubling anti-EDI times (EDI - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) I must not only continue to proactively teach my students the goals of multicultural education, but I must also remind larger audiences. What better place than Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.

For unfamiliar readers, Banks is highly regarded as the father of multicultural education. A review of his bio shows that he has earned this tribute.

Dr. Donna Y. FordIn these anti-EDI times, I think it is essential to re-familiarize ourselves and to inform others about the goals of multicultural education. Far too many opposers are misguided and ill-informed. I want to help set the record straight about the purpose of multicultural education and will use Banks’ work to do so. In the broadest sense and to set the context, Banks contends that multicultural education:

·     “assumes that diversity enriches a nation and increases the ways in which its citizens can perceive and solve personal and public problems” (p.1). Further,

·      “individuals who know the world only from their own cultural perspectives are denied important parts of the human experience and are culturally and ethnically encapsulated” (p.1).

These assertions are grounded in goals that include educational reform, cultural understanding of self, cultural understanding of others, discrimination reduction, curricular transformation, global citizenship, and intergroup education.

1.     Multicultural education is a reform movement designed to make some major changes in the education of students. Banks is clear in stating that this movement is for all students; every racial and ethnic group benefits in some way, such as enhanced racial and ethnic pride, cultural competence (attitudes, knowledge, and skills), and better capacity to live positively with others from different backgrounds. Banks specifically states: “… a major goal is to provide all students with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to function within their community cultures, within the mainstream culture, and within and across other ethnic cultures” (p. 2). I just cannot understand why any parent/caregiver would not want this nor why educators would push back against this for their students.