As individuals ring in the new year and set plans for their individual lives, the district moves forward with their objectives for improvement as well. Last year ethnic studies curriculums were voted to become a requirement for graduation in schools across California. 

Assembly member Jose Medina (D-Riverside)—who has been a longtime champion of ethnic studies—wrote Assembly Bill 101, which adds to the public high school graduation requirements a semester-long course in ethnic studies. It begins with students graduating in the 2029-30 school year. 

Under the Assembly Bill 101, schools will have to comply with this, but are permitted to develop their own plans. 

In their cultural proficiency plan, the District is dedicating more time towards their development of the Ethnic Studies course with their 2021-23 and 2023-25 pilot. After these pilots are conducted, the board will be consulted for further direction in 2025. 

Many of the voices across the nation speaking out against anti-racist education haven’t been in a high school classroom in about a decade. The gross misrepresentation of critical race theory and ethnic studies and what they teach is what primarily fuels the right wing’s diatribe against the implementation of Ethnic Studies in public schools. 

Students, myself included, are eager to learn about issues bigger than ourselves, such as systemic racism and identity. Discussions will treat the issue of racism as ever evolving, will help students understand systemic racism, and validate BIPOC students, as their cultures and identity would be studied. 

“Ethnic studies courses enable students to learn their own stories, and those of their classmates, and a number of studies have shown that these courses boost student achievement over the long run – especially among students of color,” wrote Governor Gavin Newsom in a signing message. 

As a past student of a pilot program of ethnic studies run through CUSD, I can clearly affirm that the opponent’s preoccupation with the curriculum villainizing white students is clearly baseless. 

Education is designed to raise conscientious citizens but making racism a taboo topic in the curriculum is hindering this objective.

What is especially concerning when understanding the pushback against ethnic studies is the fact that individuals from the right wing masquerading as “concerned parents” perpetuate a false idea of what the curriculum teaches, and take time away from students who clearly want to voice their opinions. 

Students have demonstrated a clear desire to engage with ethnic studies curriculum, yet individuals who have not been in high school for a very long time, and consequently do not understand the changing times and climate at schools, are hindering them from achieving their goal.