Multicultural Night- what to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of all the places in the US that are countries, after First Nations, Texas is the countriest.

Texans didn't come to the US from the anywhere Texas itself joined the union.

The people who "told you" are dumb and you should ignore them. What are you afraid of?

I am Texan. I'm not even sure how to address this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The multi-cultural night should include an African American table and a US table, if there are families interested in participating!

Ours event even had a "Jews of the Diaspora" table which I thought was cute.

I wanted to say I like this idea!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could use this to explain why we have these nights. It's not for her to participate in. She can go and learn about others' cultures. We are all American. That is not the point of these nights. It's just like Black History month or women's history month. Sometimes the goal is just to go and learn.

Totally disagree. Multicultural night should be about celebrating ALL cultures and for families that have been here eons specific regional aspects of US culture may be their family culture. It is exclusionary to tell them they can’t participate if they did not have recent immigrant ancestors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Multicultural night has rolled around again. To summarize you’re supposed to represent the country your ancestors are from. Food, dance, costume. Dd is upset at us that she doesn’t have a country to represent. We had asked with our older son if we could choose a random country or a State and were told no. We’re from Texas- Dh and I actually can dance country western and we have cowboy boots plus our families have specific foods we’ve eaten for generations.

Dh and I were debating a country and just making one up for dd. We don’t have any that would add up to more than 1/16 in dd, definitely none in the 20th century +.

I frankly don’t care, but dd does. I told her we’d attend. We’ve had the conversation a few times and she won’t drop it. I wish there was something I could do.

This is how I remember multicultural night from 20 years ago, when I was still a teacher. I thought it had changed. I remember when ours did - we specifically added in the ability to do a state or really anything the kid wanted to do, and actively discouraged some of the (white) teachers who had been doing things like dressing up in sombreros and selling tacos at the Mexico station. But really, if you think about it, the night is a horrible idea and just a breeding ground for all kind of potential offenses and exclusions and general stupidity. I actively got involved in our school's to change this, because I'm Jewish and remember how when I was kid, a million years ago, I dreaded my schools annual "international night" because we didn't tell people in our town that we were Jewish and so I had to make something up every year. So sad to hear that schools are still doing it that way.

Can you explain the bolded? I really do not understand how a volunteer event where families are welcomed into the school and can choose what to do/show/present is exclusionist.

Offenses because I've seen the following: white people dressing up as blatantly offensive stereotypes of some particular ethnic group (talking with fake Mexican accents about taking a siesta, for example), or creating displays of native artwork or culture that would be considered appropriation or trivialization (wearing winter coats and boots and giving out ice pops and calling themselves Eskimos, wearing feather headdresses - made out of construction paper - and calling themselves American Indians).

Exclusionary because a lot of people struggle and have mixed feelings about "celebrating" a heritage for which they are routinely discriminated against. Think African Americans and Jewish people for starters. Not everyone feels comfortable putting their ethnicity on display. Fine for white people for whom it's an interesting footnote to claim some heritage they barely know anything about - a whole different thing for people who actually still live it every day.

Stupidity for all of the above. Some of them were teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The multi-cultural night should include an African American table and a US table, if there are families interested in participating!

Ours event even had a "Jews of the Diaspora" table which I thought was cute.

I wanted to say I like this idea!

I'm Jewish and I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Multicultural night has rolled around again. To summarize you’re supposed to represent the country your ancestors are from. Food, dance, costume. Dd is upset at us that she doesn’t have a country to represent. We had asked with our older son if we could choose a random country or a State and were told no. We’re from Texas- Dh and I actually can dance country western and we have cowboy boots plus our families have specific foods we’ve eaten for generations.

Dh and I were debating a country and just making one up for dd. We don’t have any that would add up to more than 1/16 in dd, definitely none in the 20th century +.

I frankly don’t care, but dd does. I told her we’d attend. We’ve had the conversation a few times and she won’t drop it. I wish there was something I could do.

This is how I remember multicultural night from 20 years ago, when I was still a teacher. I thought it had changed. I remember when ours did - we specifically added in the ability to do a state or really anything the kid wanted to do, and actively discouraged some of the (white) teachers who had been doing things like dressing up in sombreros and selling tacos at the Mexico station. But really, if you think about it, the night is a horrible idea and just a breeding ground for all kind of potential offenses and exclusions and general stupidity. I actively got involved in our school's to change this, because I'm Jewish and remember how when I was kid, a million years ago, I dreaded my schools annual "international night" because we didn't tell people in our town that we were Jewish and so I had to make something up every year. So sad to hear that schools are still doing it that way.

Can you explain the bolded? I really do not understand how a volunteer event where families are welcomed into the school and can choose what to do/show/present is exclusionist.

Offenses because I've seen the following: white people dressing up as blatantly offensive stereotypes of some particular ethnic group (talking with fake Mexican accents about taking a siesta, for example), or creating displays of native artwork or culture that would be considered appropriation or trivialization (wearing winter coats and boots and giving out ice pops and calling themselves Eskimos, wearing feather headdresses - made out of construction paper - and calling themselves American Indians).

Exclusionary because a lot of people struggle and have mixed feelings about "celebrating" a heritage for which they are routinely discriminated against. Think African Americans and Jewish people for starters. Not everyone feels comfortable putting their ethnicity on display. Fine for white people for whom it's an interesting footnote to claim some heritage they barely know anything about - a whole different thing for people who actually still live it every day.

Stupidity for all of the above. Some of them were teachers.

It's not a costume party, which is exactly why people should be free to represent their self-identified heritage on their own terms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could use this to explain why we have these nights. It's not for her to participate in. She can go and learn about others' cultures. We are all American. That is not the point of these nights. It's just like Black History month or women's history month. Sometimes the goal is just to go and learn.

This is what I told my kids.

I hope your kids have better role models who teach them to not be ashamed of their culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could use this to explain why we have these nights. It's not for her to participate in. She can go and learn about others' cultures. We are all American. That is not the point of these nights. It's just like Black History month or women's history month. Sometimes the goal is just to go and learn.

Then why are you so opposed to other people learning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tex Mex food or Texas style bbq.

Op here. We specifically asked to do this and were told no. Countries only.

So what? That is a super dumb "decision". The "United States" is not just one big blob (and for that matter, neither are the countries that are being represented by immigrants). They are represented by many "cultures." But you could take this opportunity to research and learn about your own heritage, which is not just "the United States."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I feel like if I choose America I would be mocking those who really do have a cultural identity outside of the US. I asked because you have to submit your country prior to the event. But surely I’m not the only one with this problem? What about American Indians or African Americans who can’t pinpoint a country? I noticed there weren’t any AAs represented at the last multicultural night and I figure they don’t feel welcome either.

Why can’t it be “ancestry night” or similar so that it’s not tied to a country? I had some very interesting ancestors!

How is this mocking? Are you less worthy of a cultural identity? This is the kind of crap that glorifies immigrants as more virtuous than others. No... you have an identity, own it. And stop making your kids feel like they should be less proud of their heritage than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I feel like if I choose America I would be mocking those who really do have a cultural identity outside of the US. I asked because you have to submit your country prior to the event. But surely I’m not the only one with this problem? What about American Indians or African Americans who can’t pinpoint a country? I noticed there weren’t any AAs represented at the last multicultural night and I figure they don’t feel welcome either.

Why can’t it be “ancestry night” or similar so that it’s not tied to a country? I had some very interesting ancestors!

You are way overthinking this and seemingly letting yourself be totally controlled by a young ES school age child. I'm from Texas too. It does have a cultural experience, but many states do. It is not a country for purposes of multicultural night at a DMV ES. My white ancestors immigrated to TX because they wanted to take away territory from Mexicans and native americans (mine weren't rich enough to own slaves, but, I assume they felt like other people should be allowed to). Being a "pioneer" isn't any better, then you are giving a massive FU to native americans. Why open yourself to that kind of criticism? Your family immigrated here from Europe at some point. Pick one of those countries if your kid insists on dressing up. I feel like white people in the northeast tend to identify with their European ancestry more (maybe because they tend to be more recent immigrants), I don't know. This is one night. Lots of people won't be dressed up. I told my kids we weren't dressing up, and we brought something easy for food (think brownies or chocolate chip cookies from Costco). I didn't care at all if it matched our "country".

I grew up in Massachusetts. I can assure you that many of the people who I grew up with were not first or even second generation Irish, British, or Italian but there was very strong identification with being Irish, Italian, or a descendent of the Mayflower. It is a part of most peoples history and they hold it dear. Daughters of the Revolution is a thing. Trips to the homeland is a thing. The North End in Boston, very much a yummy, fattening thing. People gloss over the decimation of the Native Peoples in the region in favor of pride in being funders of the US and backbone workers of the US and the like.

The decimation was almost entirely through unintentional spread of disease.

We are not blaming China for covid, whether it came from a bat or a lab. Why are you blaming the colonists for the unintentional spread of disease?

It was far more then unintentional spread of disease. Settlers tot he US brought weapons that the Native People did not have and had no issues using those weapons to control the territory that the settlers wanted to control. Colonial policiies and latter States laws and Federal Law allowed for the mistreatment of Native Peoples and were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Native Peoples. So while you could forgive the initial settlers spread of disease, the use of force against the Native Population was not an accident. And yes, it is something that we largely gloss over in US History and State history classes.

Nah, it used to be well understood. We won and they lost. Now, though, when everyone is a winner, this idea has become incomprehensible and reprehensible. So now children and adults do not understand it.

Definitely not glossed over, but all countries have been based on conquest. And "Native" people fought each other for territory. And yes, the previous PP was accurate that most of the "genocide" was due to disease. See recent studies on DNA bottlenecks in the Americas and when they occurred.

[Anonymous]

The white teachers can dress up like Indians and give sohcahtoa lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could use this to explain why we have these nights. It's not for her to participate in. She can go and learn about others' cultures. We are all American. That is not the point of these nights. It's just like Black History month or women's history month. Sometimes the goal is just to go and learn.

If "we are all American" then some "special" people shouldn't be presenting their country's heritage. Everyone does have a heritage, and they are all worthy of celebrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, probably some place in Europe, no?

Unless you are a native Indian American?

It’s getting to the point where you can go back as far as you can and still have no ancestors born outside of the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I feel like if I choose America I would be mocking those who really do have a cultural identity outside of the US. I asked because you have to submit your country prior to the event. But surely I’m not the only one with this problem? What about American Indians or African Americans who can’t pinpoint a country? I noticed there weren’t any AAs represented at the last multicultural night and I figure they don’t feel welcome either.

Why can’t it be “ancestry night” or similar so that it’s not tied to a country? I had some very interesting ancestors!

Yeah I’m African American and kind of dreaded these things growing up. Like I don’t know which African country I’m “from” (and don’t care) and it’s just awkward. I’m also mixed so it’s like, what do I do, make a poster about the history of anti-miscegenation laws? Just kind of a weird event for lots of people. But I did enjoy eating all the food everyone else brings!

Most Americans are mixed except the most recent immigrants. Like dogs. But mixed breeds are the healthiest.