Students hoping to broaden their knowledge will have the chance to take a recently developed class, ethnic studies. It is an elective that will be available in fall 2025 and will present students with a new perspective on racial relations, differences, and ethnic identity. 

Ethnic studies will first be available to all students. Its curriculum is made to support students both familiar and unfamiliar with the topic. 

The course will be offered first as a stand-alone elective and later it will be required for all Freshmen as a graduation requirement.

Diversity and differences are often overlooked so ethnic studies is relevant to all students. This course will discuss the impact as well as systems of power and oppression and how it impacts marginalized groups.

‘‘I can’t wait to teach ethnic studies,” said Jennifer Eckert Toler, a future teacher of the course offered district wide. 

In 2021 California became the first state to require ethnic studies as a graduation requirement when Assembly Bill 101 was passed. A model curriculum was developed by the California state board of education and serves as guidance for school districts allowing them to select curriculum materials that reflect the needs of their community.

‘‘It’s important for students to learn about ethnic studies because there are so many perspectives and understandings of ourselves and our history. We don’t have the opportunity in a lot of our classes to get into cultural and social understandings,” said Toler.

This class examines equality, equity, justice and race. The Ethnic Studies course does not sugar coat controversial topics; instead it covers what is often missed in social science classes like different racial and ethnic experiences, according to the model curriculum. 

‘‘I’m really passionate about the humanities part, and the social and cultural part of history. I don’t believe that we are just history teachers, I believe that we are teachers of all of the social sciences and the impact it has on ourselves and our culture,’’ said Toler.

Community Input Sessions will be held this year as an opportunity for parents as well as students and the community members to discuss their opinions regarding the curriculum. Once fully developed, the curriculum will become available for public review in CUSD’s Instructional Media Center.

“I hope students will get exposure to different groups that maybe they are not recognizing. There’s a lot of room for discussion and having really interesting academic discourse and conversation and that is really important,’’ said Toler.

“The ethnic studies course aligns closely with the visions of a district,” said Dr. Cary Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Education and Support Services for CUSD.

CUSD’s vision of a successful student includes adequate problem solving along with critical thinking, being an engaged citizen, inspired leader, a lifelong learner, along with skillful writing and discussion; all of which is hoped to be stimulated through ethnic studies. The course challenges students to think in a creative and insightful way about systematic and historical dynamics, Johnson said.

As the course discusses political issues, students have an opportunity to view their education as a way to better help them understand the world. Discussions and reflections within this class give students a chance to improve communication skills as well as persuasion, empathy, and an extraordinary ability to display their ideas, according to Johnson.