ABSTRACT
The way to peace and social harmony is through cohesive diversity, not through assimilation and enforced sameness in culture, language and belief. Social melting pots do not work, especially in the midst of the rapid demographic changes occurring in many technologically advanced nations. Schools, therefore, should be organized along lines of language, culture, belief and ethical commitment. The increasing proportion of national populations accounted for by ethnic minorities is helping even timorous or tradition-bound politicians in many countries to see pluralist ideas of social purpose in a steadily more favourable light. Minorities are never unaffected by immersion in an alien culture and language. Churchill concludes that OECD countries exhibit six different stages of belief about the principal problem and preferred solution to poor educational performance and participation on the part of certain minorities. Three generic belief types are possible, regarding the educational effects of minority language instruction and cultural content.
