All parents want to know what their child is getting up to in school, no matter how old they are. This can come down to what they ate, who they hung out with and, primarily, what they are being taught.
Parents of Palo Alto Unified School District students are outraged by a new ethnic studies class that is set to roll out in the 2024-25 school year and become a permanent curriculum fixture the year after. The issue is that no one seems to know what will be taught in this class.
California Assembly Bill 101
California Assembly Bill 101 was passed in 2021, making it a legal requirement for school districts across California to introduce a mandatory ethnic studies course by 2025.
Districts were given a 400-page course model to spin into their curriculum. The Palo Alto Unified School District put together an ethnic studies committee of local high school teachers tasked with reaching out to local organizations and schools to help create the new course.
What Is Ethnic Studies?
According to the Palo Alto Unified School District website, ethnic studies teaches race, ethnicity and indigeneity. It mainly focuses on people of color living in the U.S.
Ethnic studies was introduced because officials felt various aspects of the course were missing from the current curriculum. It is based on the ethnic studies course initially introduced to the California higher education system.
The Goal of Ethnic Studies
As with most high school courses, a goal has to be established so students know what they are working toward. The main aim is for students to better understand who they are and where they come from.
The course also aims to empower students to be engaged socially and politically and to build up their critical thinking skills. It is also being done to help them see the advantages of living in an inclusive society.
Ethnic Studies Is a Graduation Requirement
For parents or students who might want to get out of the ethnic studies course, this isn’t possible. The course is a requirement for graduation. Without it, students won’t be able to graduate.
The course will be taught to ninth-grade students in the 2025-26 school year. Parents and others who have children in this school district are most worried about its content.
What Parents Are Requesting
The concerned parents have said they aren’t asking for much. Alan Crystal, a parent of a senior student at Palo Alto High School, has said he just wants to see the proposals and the curriculum.
However, despite continuous requests from parents, the school board has been refusing to cooperate. Very little has been revealed to parents, causing fear to be spread among them.
Ethnic Studies Is ”Woke”
Part of this outrage is due to parents believing that the ethnic studies course will include “woke” terminology for their kids to learn about, and they’re not happy about it.
The parents want more transparency about this course because the school board has not given them much information about what’s going on. They also don’t want their children being taught things they’re not happy with.
Issues With DEI
DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. Many schools, colleges, universities and businesses across the U.S. have been banning DEI, but California schools are pushing ahead with it.
Ethnic studies is part of DEI. It isn’t a new concept, having been introduced in 2021, but it is being permanently rolled out across California over the next few years.
Parents’ Fears
As the ethnic studies course appears to be so secretive, fears are being spread among parents. They are worried the course will contain politically biased content to create division in the classroom.
Much of this comes from a project the University of California Berkeley rolled out. This project focuses on racial oppression by discussing Black Lives Matter protests. It was rumored that the school district had worked with the university, although the district denied this.
The Palo Alto Parent Alliance Group
Due to parents’ continuing worries, they have set up the Palo Alto Parent Alliance group. They have done this to create a petition to get the school district to listen to their requests.
One of these requests is for the course rollout to be delayed until their requests have been made. These requests include a process for parents and teachers to review the course materials. Their petition already has over 1,000 signatures.
Parents’ Concerns Haven’t Been Addressed
When the course was introduced, the district held various public input sessions. However, the parent alliance group claims these were more like a presentation and didn’t address parents’ concerns.
The alliance has even claimed that the Palo Alto district isn’t following the California course model, with the district asserting that this claim is false.
Will Parents Ever Get a Say?
The district has assured parents that it is creating the ethnic studies course like it would with any other class. This is by getting input from students and teachers but not necessarily from parents.
It is always frustrating to parents when the information regarding their children’s education isn’t clear, especially if they haven’t gotten a say in how things are run. For now, Palo Alto parents will just have to wait and see what content is in the ethnic studies course and how this might affect their kids.
