By Meg Veal
Correspondent
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The world’s people, cultures and languages are no longer far away, and it’s educators’ role to guide and shape how those influences melt into local life, participants at a diversity forum said Friday.
“Our world is changing drastically, and we need diversity,” said Dr. Carl Hite, who moderated the forum. “We need faculty and staff that are much more diverse than before.”
The forum, “Building Community with Diversity,” was sponsored by the Mosaic Center, a division of Ocoee Region Multicultural Services, Cleveland State and Humanities Tennessee. Separate panels discussed diversity in business, education, leadership and religion.
A starting point is defining diversity, panelists said.
“We cannot forget that diversity isn’t just what color you are on the outside,” said Lisa Eulo, language teacher at Walker Valley High School.
“In a classroom we have no color when we talk about faith and economic background,” Ms. Eulo said. “A classroom ought to be a place where we can air these differences in a respectful dialogue and interact with students.”
Asking about opportunities and challenges for educational systems with increasingly diverse student populations, Dr. Hite said, “We’re placing a large burden on public education.”
Cleveland City Schools Assistant Director Doug Greene said the city school system is one of the most diverse in the region.
“We have over 200 kids who go home to families that don’t speak English,” he said. “Those 200 kids encompass 24 languages,” Mr. Greene said.
Brigetta Hoferle, director of Cleveland’s Montessori school, said she thinks educators should find common, unbiased ground.
“We need teachers who can give them a hands-on classroom and environment that speaks to all of their diverse needs.”
Sheena Newman, supervisor of elementary education, spoke of the technology offered to Bradley County students.
“We have e-pals who are students from other cultures. We want to raise a generation of leaders and students with a world-class education,” she said.
Cleveland City Councilman Bill Estes spoke of Lee University’s cross-cultural requirements and placements the university arranges for some education majors’ student-teaching experience.
He said Cleveland leadership is working to “offset inequalities.”
“Communities set a real tone on what’s acceptable, and I am really proud of Cleveland,” he said.
Meg Veal is based in Bradley County. Contact her at megveal@gmail.com.