A history of colonialism, white supremacy, and prejudice leaves most students with a skewed retelling of history; Ethnic Studies seeks to solve this problem through refocusing the narrative on American minorities– though it seems that this may be short-lived.
On October 8th, 2021, Assembly Bill 101 was passed by governor Gavin Newsom in California. All public high schools– including charter schools like CSArts– were required to have at least one semester of Ethnic Studies for their class of 2030 (or the ninth graders of next year). This was the first bill in any state mandating Ethnic Studies.
The state, however, has been unable to create sufficient funds to allow schools to carry out this law, and there have been many debates over appropriate curriculum. For this reason, Ethnic Studies is still not a mandated class in California and will likely remain an elective.
Wendy Stanish, an Ethnic Studies teacher here at CSArts, says “I think it’s a very valuable class to take because it’s a class that really looks at the diversity of all cultures, races, and identities within the United States.” Stanish argues Ethnic Studies is a class that every student should eventually take, even if not in ninth grade.
On the other hand, there are administrative issues to be considered as well. “Sometimes classes that are not graduation requirements get cut because we have to spend the money first on graduation requirements,” says Nicole Read, principal of academics at CSArts. Read says the school is prioritizing competitive teacher pay and health insurance for its employees, so classes that aren’t mandatory are always considered to be cut.
Still, nothing is set in stone as Read continues, saying “we haven’t made any decisions yet.” The conclusion of which elective classes will be available next year will likely come around early April, when course interest forms from new families will be finalized. Right now, nothing can be guaranteed.
Media Literacy and Global Awareness