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Ethnic studies course is a disaster in the making in SFUSD
Course has not been formally approved by the school board
Should a controversial ethnic studies curriculum be mandated in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) without approval by the board of education?
This is not a theoretical question. SFUSD is doing that right now. This is the second year the school district is forcing ninth graders to take the course without formal curriculum approval by the school board.
And to add insult to injury, last year it was a required SFUSD ninth-grade course but it was not approved by the University of California as meeting the A–G requirements. A course that is not approved does not get credit toward the University of California/California State University entrance requirements.
A course that is not approved does not get credit toward the University of California/California State University entrance requirements.
Board responsibility
One of the most important responsibilities of a school board is to approve what is taught.
California Education Code § 60000(c) (2022):
Instructional Materials; Legislative Intent (c) The Legislature further recognizes that the governing boards of school districts have the responsibility to establish courses of study and that they must have the ability to select instructional materials appropriate to their courses of study.[2]
For several years, the board and superintendent have been treating formal board approval of this curriculum like a hot potato.
The inside scoop
It’s not like they have not been asked to step up. I served on the district’s Public Education Enrichment Fund board, which has funded the course to the tune of millions of dollars. And I reminded staff and the superintendent more than once that the board should formally approve the curriculum.
Spending millions on a course that is not required
Below is a table showing SFUSD spending on this non-board-approved course.
Ethnic Studies Support FY 23-24 Budget $1,505,958
FY 24-25 Projected Budget $1,748,890
Source: SFUSD
Yup, that million dollar number popped right out at me. Why is a district in a financial crisis spending millions of dollars on a course that is not required for graduation by the state and is not required for entrance into California’s higher education system?
Code Red concern of parents in the district
To say that the ethnic studies curriculum is controversial is an understatement. There are lawsuits throughout the state calling out discriminatory content.
It is so bad that Governor Newsom has refused to put funding in the budget to pay for a mandated state course. And a bill is pending in the legislature that prohibits the use of any curriculum or instructional materials if it would subject a pupil to unlawful discrimination.
Better alternatives for teaching ethnic studies
– Give high school studies more time for electives. The SFUSD one-year ethnic studies course does not give students enough time to take electives that interest them. Cut the course down to one semester and consider making it an elective.
– Do not require the course in ninth grade. Most students do not have the background in United States or world history to put the course into perspective.
– Revise the focus of the course. Ensure the ethnic studies course encourages students to appreciate and understand the many ethnicities in SFUSD. All of them have had challenges. All of them have many proud moments of success. A course that emphasizes a political philosophy of “us against them” loses the nuance of learning to work together and learning to value the strengths of each other.
– Board review and approval. With so much controversy over what is taught, allow a thoughtful process with public input on the curriculum to ensure it is not discriminatory.
Yes, it is a hot potato
But it is our hot potato. With community input, the school board and the district should approve a curriculum that meets the test of not subjecting any student to unlawful discrimination.