Nine years after the Minnesota legislature passed a law requiring licensed day care workers to provide "cultural dynamics training," the curriculum is finally in place after much testing and refinement, and is waiting for approval by the state Department of Children, Families, and Learning.

Under the new curriculum, day-care providers are urged to beware the "assumption that English is the most important language" rather than an artifact of "non-disabled European American" hegemonism. The earlier children in day care are exposed to the dominant culture, "the more likely they are to reject their home culture" and its sustaining "group identity." Day-care providers shouldn't say someone is a "quadriplegic," but rather that person "has quadriplegia." They are also warned against using the once-acceptable term "people of color," since it "minimizes the unique history and culture of each cultural group."

Biracial or disabled kids "being raised by non-disabled European American parents" have been "separated" from their true identities and must live "without mentors or positive role models." Not much better off, minority children raised by their own kind "internalize" European America's "unjust and cruel oppression," come to "believe its lies," and grow up mired in "shame, hopelessness," and "chronic depression." Worst of all, non-disabled European American children have "identities built on confusion" and must struggle to overcome "psychological problems of moral hypocrisy."

At training workshops, day care providers fill out a questionnaire to help them identify their biases. Questions include, "I am clear about my own biases regarding culture, race, and ability," the possible answers for which are, "Very aware / somewhat aware / have very little awareness." Care givers are urged to "routinely assess" toddlers' environment by censoring books with insensitive stereotypes and by examining "sensory materials" such as play-doh, to make sure colors are properly "integrated," such as by including dark shades of brown and black to counter stereotypes of "dirty" and "evil."

†