God, this is awful.
With not one of 55 elite colleges polled in a recent survey requiring a course in American history,
The 'multicultural' lie
By H. George Hahn II
Baltimore Sun
Shallow.
Let's assume the 55 number is accurate. Hard to say since no source is cited. The reason American history is not required is, more likely, where the power resides so far as curriculum making is concerned. The power centers in most college/university curriculums are academic departments, not central committees and administrators. Thus, everything pulls to the periphery, tends to hollow out any core educational programs. Most programs that pass for "liberal" or "general" education are lists of items not subjects. Because of the periphery pull. If history gets to be core, for instance, it's enrollments soar, it can ask for more faculty lines, etc. So every other department in the university clamors for a spot in the core. And thus few, if any, get it. Just items on a list. Definitely not good but it has nothing to do with multiculturalism. Nothing. |
