Is school diversity a benefit or burden? #tellusatoday

As the USA becomes more diverse, communities are adjusting to change. A firestorm erupted in Eden Prairie, Minn., over redrawing school boundaries. Letter to the editor:

Given events in Ferguson, Mo., your piece about school desegregation in Eden Prairie, Minn., ought to inspire more communities to focus on improving opportunity and equity in schools, as well as race relations and policing ("Diversity in the classroom").

My organization worked with Eden Prairie for 10 years under the West Metro Education Program, a state desegregation initiative. Results were impressive: Improved teacher and teaching quality, as well as dynamic leadership by Superintendent Melissa Krull and others, helped boost academic performance for all children — not just minorities. Krull resigned after a dispute over redistricting plans and concerns expressed by some on the school board that minority children were narrowing the achievement gap with whites too quickly.

A combination of high expectations, culturally responsive pedagogy, and a focus on social justice can help children achieve. When I delivered back-to-school keynotes in 2010 and 2011, many in Eden Prairie embraced this message of hope. Yet "chaos" does happen when some groups are denied access to the American Dream through a lack of education and employment opportunity, access to good homes and fairness. Give change a chance.

Eric J. Cooper, president, National Urban Alliance for Effective Education; Syosset, N.Y.

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

As a 20-year resident of Eden Prairie, Minn., I would like to say your article on school diversity failed to take into account the many other things that Superintendent Melissa Krull's administration did to mess up the school district before the redistricting issue came up. To assign a simple cause (influx of non-white students) with effect (backlash against the school administration) is misleading. While some people might feel threatened by diversity, the anger was directed at the superintendent and her staff, not the diverse student body or even their goals. The city's high school principal said in the article: "Every single person who stepped up to that mike (during meetings) ... was trying to figure out a way to do something that helped the kid or kids that they love have a great experience." He got it right.

— Sue Marx Henry

Race represents source of pride, division

We asked our followers on Twitter to tell us what race means to them. Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

To me race means the seasoning of society. As in food, diversity makes it much better. We need to improve on fairness.

— @RafaAlcalde1

I think primarily of the human race. Color is just a visible, physical variable.

— @TnMan012

To me race means a way to divide people and profit from stirring emotions.

— @CalTexAzBoy

To me race is both a source of pride/strength and a barometer to measure people's decency and open-mindedness to others' life experiences.

— @silkysoul