Multiculturalism, diversity, and race relations: A study of adolescents, parents, teachers, and administrators voicing their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors

A study of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescents, parents, teachers, and administrators is used to explore the meaning and significance of multiculturalism and diversity on race relations among racial and ethnic groups. The qualitative grounded methodology consisted of short simple open-ended questionnaires and informal individual interviews. Respondents included 41 sixth graders, 24 parents, 2 teachers, and 2 principals from 2 elementary schools. The research data answered four questions: (1) To what extent do the attitudes and beliefs held by adolescents reflect multiculturalism? (2) Can multiculturalism be a factor in influencing interracial sociability and in encouraging adolescent cross-race friendship choices? (3) To what extent do the attitudes and beliefs held by parents, teachers, and administrators reflect multiculturalism? (4) Can a multicultural viewpoint help manage diversity in a school setting complicated by racism? The results of the study showed adolescents, parents, teachers, and administrators believing that an evolution of critical understanding about multiculturalism and diversity will lead to positive race relations among racial and ethnic groups. For instance, the results of the study showed that while both sixth grade classes value differences they strongly believe that they learn a lot from friends of different ethnic, racial, and class backgrounds. Further, the results of the study showed that these adolescents believe that an understanding about diversity will lead to interracial sociability and in encouraging cross-race friendship choices. All parents, teachers, and administrators believe that multiculturalism enhances adolescents\u27 diversity skills in a profoundly positive way. Additionally, almost all the participating parents, teachers, and administrators believe that a multicultural approach rather than an assimilation approach to education helps manage diversity in a school setting complicated by racism