Letter: Cultural diversity in classes addresses needs, not quotas

Creating academic diversity and multiculturalism among our students at Santa Barbara High isn’t a negative thing. Whether or not the city of Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Senior High is diverse is up to its citizens. The 2006 population estimate for Santa Barbara city is 85,681. Of these citizens 73.9% are White, 12.7% are Black or African American, 0.8% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.4% are Asian, 0.1% are Native Hawaiian and 14.8% are Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990). Santa Barbara High has 2,335 bright and intelligent students. 52 of these students reported that they are African-American, 944 White (not Hispanic), 11 Chinese, 14 Japanese and 1,232 Hispanic or Latino. 82 students are other (such as Pacific Islander) or declined to state (Aries, 2007). From these statistics it can safely be said that with such a large population, why shouldn’t we work to have more Latino’s in Honors or Advance Placement (AP) courses?
It isn’t about pushing students into classes they don’t want but addressing their needs. Students who take AP courses and do well in them are more likely to get into a University of their choice (Princeton Review, 2006). As counselors, we encourage and motivate students who don’t think they belonged in a certain class but obviously have the potential to thrive in them. We would like to see all the students who want to attend college have the chance to do so. As educators, it is not our job to force you to do anything you can’t do. However, it is our responsibility to promote diversity.
Diversity is defined in Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (1998) as; to make diverse: give variety to: increase the variety of products of. Do you think SBHS faculty is doing a good job of promoting diversity? On the other hand, is it just our responsibility to give our students the “tools” of diversity and hope that you will use them?
Maybe students should be required to go through diversity training as faculty and staff of Santa Barbara School Districts are obligated to. How about if parents were required to attend diversity workshops. Would that help to invite the gardeners in the house for lunch and be engaged in a conversation of politics? But that’s too cliché, how about if a recently arrived Costa Rican is invited to the home of third generation Mexican-American family and helped with immigration papers?
Maybe we should just appreciate the fact that many at SBHS are aware of our student population. Although we are the third oldest high school in California, it may take us longer than others to become fully diverse in action and thought. At least we are stepping towards that direction in a positive manner.

Melisa Perez
SBHS Counselor