THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 1, 1996 TAG: 9602030292
SECTION: THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TODAYPAGE: 32 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Special section
SOURCE: BY VENITA TAYLOR and PAMELA BROWN, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENTS
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Local teens have a dream of an education that is multicultural every month.
In an hour-long discussion with six area teens who are high school correspondents for the newspaper, the message was this: Black History Month is not effective because schools fail to present diversity.
``Black history . . . is not the only culture that we should learn about. You should know about other people's culture,'' said Summer Shtay, 14, a freshman at John A. Holmes High School in Edenton, N.C.
Although the students desire a more multicultural education, current curriculums do not meet their expectations.
``(Schools) don't really do any- thing important . . . . We need to be informed because if everybody's going to get along, we need to know about everybody's culture,'' said Maria Workman, 16, a junior at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach.
According to Eric Nickens, 15, a freshman at Gates County High School in Gatesville, N.C., his L school does not focus on black history. But neighboring Hertford County Schools require a course in black history to satisfy graduation requirements, he said.
The students in the discussion wanted their schools to adopt a more aggressive attitude toward black history in particular, and multicultural education as a whole.
They also felt that the responsibility for this education does not rest solely with the schools.
``The community sets the tone . . . churches, community and parents need to step in,'' said Paulita Brown, 17, a senior at Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach.
Overall, the students said that instilling motivation to find solutions is the key to erasing cultural ignorance. People need to act.
``Each culture should have to learn about their past so that there won't be a collective amnesia,'' said Caswell Richardson, 18, a senior at Maury High School in Norfolk.
Question: Is Black History Month a good idea?
``If you take the time to learn about things that are new (instead of the same old subjects), it won't be a rehash because you will be learning every day.'' Summer Shtay, 14, a freshman at John A. Holmes High School in Edenton, N.C.
``I think it's a rehash because educators are throwing the same thing at us . . . . It's about time that we took the time to take a look back without the help of a teacher.'' Eric Nickens, 15, a freshman at Gates County High School in Gates County, N.C.
``The only way we are going to understand (our) culture is if we learn about the new things, not just the old.'' Maria Workman, 16, a junior at Tallwood High School.
``It is a rehash because it is sanctioned by the powers that be. It's monolithic.'' Caswell Richardson, 18, senior at Maury High School
``It's not a rehash because history is always changing.'' Paulita Brown, 17, a senior at Princess Anne High School.
``I do feel that it's a rehash because you're not learning anything new.'' Jewell Burchette, 17, a senior at Ocean Lakes High School.
MEMO: Pamela Brown is a first-year student at the University of Virginia.
Venita Taylor is a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University. Both
are 1995 graduates of Western Branch High School in Chesapeake.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Paulita M. Brown
Jewell Burchette
Eric Nickens
Caswell Richardson
Summer Shtay
Maria Workman
KEYWORDS: SPECIAL SECTION SUPPLEMENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN
HISTORY BLACK HISTORY
by CNB