"Minority Groups"...I think we need a new phrase...

[missypie]

DS was just telling me about his Social Studies final...the question was what is the second largest "minority group" in Texas and the "answer" was supposed to be African-American...the largest "minority group" is Hispanic...only he put that the second largest was Hispanic, because in his mind, Caucasian is the largest "minority group."

I really didn't have the heart to correct him, because I think he is thinking about it the right way, e.g. which racial or ethnic group has the most people, without calling any "majority" or "minority." How do they teach this unit in the Dallas public schools which are by far "minority majority?" When schools are beautifully integrated with many racial and ethinic groups, religions and nationalities, is it really helpful to be talking about "majority" vs. "minority?"

I think it's time for the schools to come up with a new way of taking about these things.

 

[Deb in IA]

I agree. "Minority" has a negative connotation.

How about "ethnic groups"?

 

[Robinrs]

The words minority or majority is relative, anyway. If it was based on the world it would have Caucasians as a minority because Asians are more than 1/5 of the world's population.

It doesn't feel or sound good.

I vote for ethnic, also.

 

[jipsy]

Why do we have to have groups? Why can't we all just be people?

 

[missypie]

I think the point of the Social Studies unit was that the demographics in Texas are ever changing and that in the future we will have more Spanish language newspapers, etc.

But I totally agree that the concept is so relative that it is confusing for children...think of the teachers in south Texas teaching 100% Hispanic populations...it must be very confusing to those kids to hear that they are a "minority."

I think that due to cost and other factors, school books and curricula change more slowly than society does...the social studies lesson was probably thought to be progressive 15 years ago.

 

[helenabear]

Originally posted by jipsy
Why do we have to have groups? Why can't we all just be people?

Don't get it either... why bother to put ourselves into groups when we really are all the same race (human) anyway? Never made much sense to me at all.

 

[Kirby]

I agree. I'd much prefer the term ethnic over minority.

The term foreign language has also changed. The kids now take "language other than english" classes.

Why do we have to have groups? Why can't we all just be people?

I also agree with this too. Like a man said on some tv show, I think maybe Colonial House, he considers himself not as an African American but an American of African descent.

And I guess you could call me a "mutt" or "Heinz 57" because my ancestry is from five different countries that I'm aware of.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Interesting.....

I look at other "races" and see AMERICANS, like me.

These ideas seem to change over time. I told my Mom the other day that I had no desire to travel overseas where they didn't "like us". She said you mean like England? I was stumped and said "gee Mom I think they might be the only one who DO like us". And she said "we've" been at war with them for hundreds of years.

She considers herself to be IRISH. I consider myself to be AMERICAN!

 

[missypie]

In 2000, when the census was going on, I heard a story on the radio about the 1900 census. At that time, "Irish" and "Italian" were considered races for which a special box was to be checked!

I remind myself of that when I encounter African surnames and Pakistani surnames and other surnames that seem unfamiliar and difficult to pronounce...there was a time in this country when Italian and Polish and Vietnamese surnames were "unfamiliar and difficult to pronounce" but as time passed they became familiar and easier to deal with. (I do admit that I could use a tutorial on how to pronounce African surnames that start with 3 or 4 consonants in a row....)

 

[Carl]

I agree. Minority no longer is a valid term - unless used to describe Caucasians. That is in Texas and MOST southern states.

 

[adamak]

Totally agree. At least in NYC, there is no majority anymore. Every race is minority, and majority.