Policywonk, there are indeed lots of perspectives as there should be. All those with different views should be debating it. Seeing where they agree and disagree rather than just trying to discredit the opposition by suggesting they are greedy.
Electra, thank you. That's a good example of something that might be termed culturalist (unless that's a word already )
Yes it can be a 'cover' for someone who is racist to focus on, but just going by the words it isn't.
I think what has gone wrong in this country has been a guilt reaction. Knowing that we have been wrong in our treatment of others in the past we have overcompensated. This sometimes leaves us in the position of portraying anything 'ethnic' as noble and respectable while shoving aside anything 'British' as somehow not important and possibly racist.
This has not done minority groups any favours since it builds up hostility towards them. On the few occasions such groups are consulted they generally ask to be left to get on with it.
So you do get overenthusisastic authorities making everyone celebrate minority cultures while implying that to celebrate anything British (like St George)is to celebrate our imperial past and insulting to minorities.
Some of the worst examples are probably dreamed up by the Daily Mail so you have to be careful which ones you believe, but I'm afraid it does happen and does cause resentment among those who personally never oppressed anyone.
In a somewhat related example, I remember how the shops in my local town gradully changed. Suddenly there were shops selling saris and unusual (to me) foods etc where before they had sold jeans and fish & chips. I don't recall having a problem with this. You could still get everything you needed and window shopping was more interesting (like visiting another country).
I'd also add that I found the shopkeepers were more courteous than I was used to (not to mention working all hours to make a go of it which has to be admirable)
I do however recall when the local council announced that from now on planning permission would only be granted for shops that represented ethnic cultures. Not a move to foster good feeling whatever its intent.
Personally I'd keep schools (because you have to go there) neutral and let people celebrate what they want in their own time. I'm anti faith schools too for a similar reason.