eem highly unlikely that a third grader could deeply consider many topics in their lives. The key to integrating education is to mesh different issues into one lesson at the times at which this meshing process can be done. For example, in a reading lesson for a first grade class, the class could read about the cultural differences between living in the city versus living in the country. In a lesson such as this, the children could improve their vocabulary and reading skills while learning about something a little more exciting than Dick and Jane running. Methods such as this can be used in all areas of elementary education, and while a second grade student might not be able to recite all fifty state capitals, he has a broader understanding of the world around him, and perhaps his knowledge will eliminate a small form of bigotry, which is bred by ignorance. Multicultural education is designed to teach exactly what its name says, the principles and ideas behind certain topics on different cultures. Ingrained in this definition is the idea of tolerance for different cultures. Some people have argued that morals should be taught in the home, and that public schools should interfere with such an issue. However, perhaps if morality was touched upon in a central environment that did not involve blood lines, the racism that is still prevalent in our country could be chipped away. Opponents argue that the teaching of morality also takes away from the acquisition of skills that are important in real life. However, social skills are also incredibly important and are used every day. As Henry Louis Gates, a noted speaker on the topic, states "We're worried when Johnny can't read. We're worried when Johnny can't add. But shouldn't we be worried, too, when Johnny tramples gravestones in a Jewish cemetery or scrawls racial epithets on a dormitory wall?" (Levine, 8). Gates goes on to conclude his argument by saying "Ours is a society that simply won't s...
