East Cobb Cultural Summit Fosters Understanding

East Cobb's diverse ethnic and religious communities have blended into the routines of public schools, but a panel of community members and leaders met this week met to discuss ways in which students, teachers and parents can develop a better understanding of those cultural differences. 

The second East Cobb Cultural Summit, sponsored by the East Cobb County Council of PTAs,  took place Monday at , bringing together concerned parents and representatives of various faiths and cultures. Many are liaisons and interpreters with the Cobb County School District's International Welcome Center, an organization offering assistance and translation to international families. 

The objective of the summit was clear:  “To give teachers, administrators, and PTA members an opportunity to ask questions in an open and honest panel discussion for all faiths through the availability of selected representatives to promote understanding, giving kids an opportunity to know what to expect and how to avoid false labeling due to international differences.”

According to Wendy Stewart, the summit facilitator, another goal of the organization is to foster understanding because “the better we understand our differences, the better we can work together.”

Topics discussed included the role of the family in a child’s education, cultural holidays and traditions that can affect student dietary needs and participation, behaviors that are manifested in various cultures and strategies to teach students how to handle and proactively overcome bullying.

Also covered was the concept of a “good student” in various cultures, and the availability of the welcome center, which is dedicated to helping international families adjust and become part of the East Cobb community .

The summit panel, seeking to “provide an opportunity for school and PTA personnel to learn more about the predominant cultures and faiths of East Cobb,” provided three main goals for discussion. They are: “Facilitate understanding, enhance instruction and classroom environments, and increase family and student inclusion.” 

Additionally, panelists were guided by thoughtful ground rules to enable honest discussion, such as “maintaining focus on respect and understanding, keeping sight of individuals, remembering socio-economic influences, and learning” about our differences.

Questions were as specific as to the use of tefilah in the Jewish tradition to the fasting practices of Muslims during Ramadan.

Characteristics and mannerisms of our diverse practices also came into question:  Alba Gutierrez, a Spanish interpreter for the welcome center, said that in the Latin culture, people tend to kiss as part of their greeting practice. “I myself had to stop and explain myself and my culture to my new friends and classmates to avoid stigmas and labels associated with my behavior and it was a great learning opportunity for all of us," she said. 

“So what can we do when the student’s behavior or revelation of fasting for traditions or natural cultural mannerisms seem to be disruptive or concerning?” asked another member of the audience, a Wheeler teacher.

Dr. Linda Sun, Principal of the Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy, stated that talking to parents and asking questions is always the best solution: “They will not be offended.”  All panelists agreed that open communication is the best action to form stronger community bonds for families and students alike. 

Stewart said she’d like to “elevate the importance of the summit and bring more interest to the next meeting.”

For more information on the East Cobb Cultural Summit please contact Wendy Stewart at WendyWStewart@gmail.com and to learn more about the services provided by the Cobb County International Welcome Center, please visit the Cobb County School District website.