Diversity Case Study: I'm Not Black

While Ms. Lee's intentions were good, she automatially assumed Warren would be a good mentor for Abiola just because the are both black. What she was not aware of, is that African American and Nigerian are significantly culturally different. Maybe she could have asked Abiola if there were any friends he had made in the class before matching two boys up by the color of their skin.

Mr. Werth's intentions in his color-blinded approach are also good, however it may blind him to other important differences. He expects the students to accept one another's diversities just because he does. He is failing to realize that other factors, such as culture, values, and beliefs, should also be considered. The Nigerian students may come from families that believe they are above the African-American/Black race , and they go to school simply repeating what they see at home.