In this work, Darder examines the impact of dominant cultural forces on the lives of students from disenfranchised communities, and confronts the cultural values and practices that serve to marginalize Black, Latino, Asian, and other bicultural students. She offers a set of theoretical principles from which to develop a critical practice of bicultural education, and provides classroom teachers with a critical perspective by which they can evaluate their current practices with bicultural students. The book concludes with a practical study of bicultural development at one college.
“Demographic evidence indicates that by the turn of the century the majority of the student population occupying the public schools of this nation will be bicultural. Darder develops the thesis that America's schools are designed to educate Euroamerican students and that bicultural students are not being served by the current system of education. She contends that the attempts that have been made to adjust the process of schooling for a culturally diverse population have been mere window dressing that has not reached the crux of the problem. Instead of providing a prescription for change, Darder develops theoretical principles that practitioners can utilize to allow bicultural students to "retain an identification with her or his culture or origin while simultaneously adopting American values and lifestyle." Chapters 4 and 5 develop a critical pedagogy as a foundation for change to allow cultural democracy to occur in the classroom. Finally, a model is presented of one school's attempt to modify its teaching strategy and curriculum to allow perspective teachers to adapt to a bicultural classroom and society. Recommended for graduate courses.”–Choice
