Does the education system exclude minorities? Does the education system exclude minorities on the basis of gender and culture? The United States has become one of the most culturally diverse places to live. The increase in immigrant minorities in the United States has increased dramatically. With this in mind, should policies, laws and institutions, such as education, be restructured and changed to include minorities? Because of their personal experiences, Adrienne Rich, Mike Rose, and bell hooks in The Presence of Others, believe that education can be seen as an exclusionary practice (93). All three authors argue that to avoid the exclusion of minorities in schools, changes need to be made within the system. Mike Rose argues that institutions should be required to provide immigrants with a stable, common core curriculum. Bell hooks suggests that individuals do not have to conform to the assimilation of the dominant culture to be included in the educational system. Adrienne Rich believes women should teach themselves the important things in life because universities don't teach women everything they need to know. Major changes need to be made within the system to provide people with an exceptional education. At my current job I met Jessica. Jessica is twelve years old. She was born in Argentina and immigrated to the United States a year ago. Due to the economic and political crisis in Argentina, his family went to the land of “opportunity” in search of a better life. Upon arriving and enrolling in middle school, Jessica was placed in “protected” classes. These courses are designed for students who have a language barrier, those individuals whose native language is something different... middle of paper... changes in society. With the huge increase in minorities, the curriculum should be modified to not only benefit the dominant race, but minorities as well. The curriculum must take into account the interests of minorities. Students like Jessica should be given the opportunity to receive a challenging and rewarding education; an education that does not serve to exclude it. Works CitedHooks, Bell. “Staying Close to Home: Class and Education.” The presence of others. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000, 93-104.Rich, Adrienne. “What does a woman need to know?” The presence of others. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000, 65-70.Rose, Mike. "He lives on the border." The presence of others. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000, 105-118.