Minority Teachers for Minority Students?

Both Dan's and Dr. Seloni's handouts on The Invisible Culture yesterday referenced the topic of minority teachers for minority students (or teachers from within the community teaching children of the community). I think there is something gravely wrong with suggesting that "only teachers from within the community should teach children of that community" (not that that was suggested - but just in case it ends up being suggested). That would place absolutely no burden whatsoever on "mainstream" teachers to work to accommodate non-mainstream students into their classrooms. Also, if we accept this and look at it the other way around, that would mean that any teacher from outside of any community would have no place in a community's classroom. According to a website I looked at before starting this program (which may or may not be reliable, so I won't bother with a citation), the population of Indiana, PA is about 90% white/caucasian. Does this mean that teachers who are not white/caucasian have no place in Indiana's classrooms? Absolutely not.

While it may be true that "well meaning, dedicated teachers" might not be able to even out the classroom situation with regard to different ways that students have been socialized to literacy, that does not mean that it - teacher training to enhance multicultural awareness - is an enterprise that must be abandoned in place of hiring from within the community only (whatever that community may be). This would result in self-segregation that I believe would only enhance the difference-as-deficit view rather than embracing differences and making the most of them.