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After California Assembly Bill 101 passed about three years ago, school districts across the state were required to create a mandatory Ethnic Studies course by 2025. Handed a California course model totaling over 400 pages, school districts were then tasked with organizing that information into their own unique curriculum.
To follow the new state law, the Palo Alto Unified School District formed an Ethnic Studies committee composed of local high school teachers and got to work, reaching out to local organizations and schools to help create the new course, which would be mandatory for freshman students by the 2025 fall semester.
The district released its latest update to the curriculum on March 26, which includes examples of class exercises and a framework.
Now, a group of Palo Alto parents have garnered over 1,400 signatures on a petition that asks the Palo Alto school district to pause its Ethnic Studies course update, claiming the curriculum will be “highly controversial,” and go against state expectations.
In a letter circulated in May, parent group Palo Alto Parent Alliance criticized the district for adopting a “liberated,” course model and claimed some elements of the curriculum were created without transparency, the letter states.
“I have reached out extensively to the district to give us a chance to directly address our issues,” said member of the parent alliance Sarith Honigstein. “After a long period of no answer, we got a response that they won’t be meeting with us.”
The district’s public input sessions were more like “presentations,” she said, which did not address parent concerns.
“The needs for transparency and community partnership are especially significant here because of the widely disparate Ethnic Studies approaches that districts could adopt,” the letter reads.
But according to district leaders, the key concepts of Identity, Power and Privilege, Resilience and Resistance and Action and Civil Engagement – centered on African American, Latino, Native American and Asian American, Pacific Islander studies – follow the California Ethnic Studies course model.
“This model curriculum is a step toward rectifying omission of the experiences and cultures of communities within California,” the model reads. “Ethnic studies courses address institutionalized systems of advantage and address the causes of racism and other forms of bigotry.”
And on its Frequently Asked Questions page, the district disputes the group’s concerns about transparency.
Palo Alto Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Guillermo Lopez said the district looked at several other schools’ Ethnic Studies courses and felt that it would benefit by partnering with them to create a comprehensive curriculum.
“We reached out to several institutions and a lot were impacted, but UC Berkeley was able to make space and work with us,” Lopez said.
UC Berkeley’s History-Social Science Project aims to help schools create Ethnic Studies courses, and has been instrumental in helping the school district understand the course, Lopez said. But the Palo Alto school district operates autonomously from the project and does not adopt all of its teachings, he said.
In its letter, the parent alliance calls out the district for adopting UC Berkeley’s curriculum that includes books about the Black Panthers and discusses ideas that “tag White males as privileged.”
“The petition is not accurate,” Lopez said. “It discusses books and publishings that the university adopted but that has nothing to do with us.”
While the district partnered with the university, it plans to stick to an “inclusive” course model, not “liberated,” he said.
The district is creating the course just like any other math or science class – with the help of students and teachers, Lopez said, but does not have plans to host another public input meeting in the near future.
“Ultimately the district makes the final decision as to what is added in the curriculum as reflection of the community and expectations of the state,” he said.
Palo Alto High School and Gunn High School will offer Ethnic Study electives reflecting the new curriculum changes as part of a pilot program, and the board plans to reopen the discussion about adopting the changes in the fall.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a response from Palo Alto Parent Alliance.
And Then They Came for the Schools.
Is there a way for the Ethnic Studies curriculum to be made available so everyone can see what is being taught in the Palo Alto schools?
Agree! The group has posted very thug they know about the proposed curriculum and the consultant on their website: https://www.pa-square.org/
Teaching white male privilege is completely forgetting that thousands of convicts were sent to America, particularly Virginia, as convicts to alleviate the overcrowded prisons in England. America was thought of as a penal colony and the convicts were less valuable as slaves than the enslaved African laborers. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/convict-labor-during-the-colonial-period/ Or is that not part of the accepted historical code and those convicts are conveniently forgotten?
Second what Bob H says. Also, do we know if the district hired consultants to help with the curriculum and who they are?
I’m 84 and can attest that men who looked like me, (mostly Irish/German), had “white man privilege” when they entered the job market in the 1960s. Ads on tv pictured only Euro-Americans (a term I use because ‘white’ people aren’t–unless they are albinos–they are usually pink). Executive suites were E-A sanctuaries. Younger readers don’t have the length of memory to recall events that are not so long ago. I would urge readers to relax; it won’t hurt your kids to learn about those who came from different cultures and backgrounds..the object is to meld together into a public that represents the only race–the human race.
So the parent group demanding greater transparency won’t identify their leadership or membership? Where might we see these 1,400 signatures?
Where does it say that the organization is “hiding” its leadership or participants?
The fundamental problem with this “ethnic studies” curriculum is that it frames the history of the US from the oppressor/oppressed cultural marxism viewpoint. It is the history of the US as taught in college by Howard Zinn — on steroids.
After October 7, everyone has seen where this leads. We have college students — especially in the “elite” universities — proclaiming support for Hamas, as evil a terrorist organization as exists on the planet. Stanford and other universities have documented a big increase in antisemitism in our colleges.
https://news.stanford.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/156588/ASAIB-final-report.pdf
The goal of the people who have created this “ethnic studies” program is to brainwash children at ever younger ages into seeing the US as an evil society run by white males who exploit everyone else. It is intended to teach boys to feel guilty about their existence, and to teach girls to appeal to authority for “safetyism”. The goal, in essence, is to turn the next generation into depressed, angry, intolerant woke mandarins.
Full transparency is required: the curriculum for each district needs to be put online. And for the mental health of our children, it needs to be solidly opposed by parents throughout California.
Agree
Agree 100
I have 2 kids in the PAUSD and strongly support that class.
Whomever is teaching the class should make a course outline available to students and parents on day one, and it should also be described in the school’s course catalogue. All of which is public record.
One hopes the district is well aware of what is being taught in the classroom and will support those teaching the course when issues arise.
Concerns should be welcomed and addressed openly before the mandatory class begins. Thus, the pilot elective is a good idea, and can give any concerned parties some time to review what is taught and how it is taught.
Bigger concerns regarding California Assembly Bill 101 should be directed toward the State Legislature and the Governor since the district is trying to carry out their mandate.
So the brainwashing course of oppressor/oppressed, white people bad, colored people good, Israel bad, Palestinians good is now here to poison Palo Alto kids’ minds.
Glad my sons have graduated, but unfortunately my younger son will still have to take this nonesense class in college. Answer as the teacher wants or fail the class. Great education!
Well said
This curriculum is highly political, with a very pronounced slant. Of course, everyone has the right to embrace that point of view, but it shouldn’t be the basis of a public school class.
Therein lies the conundrum.
Who defines who is the oppressed and the oppressor? Treating any group as a monolith is inherently problematic. Diversity within ethnic groups exist based on generational differences, empirical experiences, etc. And now there is a whole educational industry churning out the ethnic studies “degrees” with minimal historical knowledge beyond the “modern” era. What can go wrong? Look what happened over at Menlo Atherton.
*The dynamics of Asian American, African American, Latino, and Native American studies all belong in HISTORY classes. There was a time in a galaxy far far away when history classes taught history and not broad, sweeping generalizations of big umbrella questions that have students skip huge swaths of chronology in favor of easily AI driivel like “What are the dynamics of presidential power across these three presidential tenures?” . That has been the first catastrophe.
*If you are not teaching the above in your history classes- what are you doing?
*Looking at the proposed model- Unit 1 kids do in SELF already.
*Looking at the capstone project: Guess what will inevitably come up? The Israeli Palestinian conflict, with stakeholders on all sides. What then, another committee?
Tread very carefully and teach with due diligence, responsibility, and a bias free, non political agenda.
*We need more HISTORY classes, not Sociology classes.
I looked at the 3/26 “Ethnic Studies Course Update” powerpoint developed by staff and agree the slant is concerning. Frankly, I don’t think these individuals are qualified to develop curricula. Also concerning is that staff can put out a document with this sentence explaining the background of Ethnic Studies. “It emerged to both address content considered missing from traditional curriculum and to encourage critical engagement with the four foundational disciplines first established in California higher education: African American, Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander studies.” What does that mean?
I would expect 25 Churchill to simply check the required boxes. Savvy teachers most likely will not want this assignment, so it may fall upon someone relatively new, or even a teacher the the district would like to see gone. If anything goes afoul, it will land on the teacher. 25 Churchill is very adept at deflecting responsibility. They call it “risk management”.
Time to put that salesman suit on Mr. Austin and earn that San Francisco sized salary.
Two things:
1). As a voting Palo Alto resident and former teacher, I insist that any curriculum offered to our community’s children should be publicly vetted, as it has been in the past. If that is inconvenient for the Superintendent, he is in the wrong line of work. I hope we all expect our electeds to ensure that democratic process is not undermined by staff on this very important matter.
I, for one, prefer an inclusive curriculum. Demonizing any group of people is divisive. We need to recognize harms that have been done and those that are ongoing, but with an eye toward solutions that bring people together, working toward change and a healthier, more egalitarian society.
2). Neighbors, this is an election year in which we will have an opportunity to elect a new School Board MAJORITY. We have an opportunity during the election cycle to raise questions about how this issue and others are being handled. Engage. Look for opportunities to meet candidates and ask probing, thoughtful questions as they campaign. BE a thoughtful and active citizen in this process. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
An excellent effort by the Palo Alto parents to halt the gender scourge from entering and spreading in our children’s classrooms. The School Board should be focused on education principles on existing and additional core courses – Math, Biology, Chemistry, English, Physics, Personal Finance, Advanced Calculus, Civics, History. Work with the children to help them excel and not push them through to the next level with fanciful grading. Invest in the resources to bring up all students intellectually.
Rid the school district of diversity specialists and restore the funding for the resources required to educate the children. This means teachers and teacher aids.
Well said
So an organization that hides not only their leadership, but also their petition participants demands transparency? Makes me doubt their 1,000+ signatures are actually from ‘concerned parents’ in the district.
Where does it say that the organization is “hiding” its leadership or participants?
They made an entire website for their organization, but have no information about their leadership or petition signers. There is an @tutamail.com email address on the petition signature page but it’s also not clear who runs it.
I can easily find out who’s in charge from the school side, but this group doesn’t want to put their name to the petition.
Seems like the District is “disputing “ that the curriculum is controversial rather than actually “refuting” the charge.
The difficulty here is going to discern the difference between opinion and facts. It is not up to the district to teach our children opinion, but it is important that they teach facts and how to think for themselves. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when opinion becomes facts and taught to young minds, unless they know how to think rather than what to think then there are problems.
The state passes a law that Ethnic Studies must be taught in high school, so that question is settled. Ethnic Studies will be taught, but the details are up to the district. The district then formed a committee to carry out the law. There were also two student input sessions, and three community input sessions. The student input sessions were run by respected veteran teachers, and hopefully some of them will be teaching the course with solid district backing. If so, then I retract my assertion that the course would be passed on to someone with less experience or good standing.
The three community input sessions that were held have been recorded for anyone to review, so appropriate boxes have been checked by the district. Did members of the Palo Alto Parents Alliance attend those meetings? If so, then were their concerns heard? If members did not attend, then they missed three good opportunities offered by the district.
PAUSD does not have a stellar record when it comes to transparency or adherence to Education Code, so parents should be concerned. Mr. Austin and the board have had their share of legal tussling regarding curriculum, testing, and personnel, so maybe they are trying to get this one right. The Ethnic Studies elective will be a good indicator as to whether this is true. That said, the train has left the station, so let’s hope it is a relatively smooth ride.
The ethnic studies course is a requirement from the state and many in PA support it. I doubt that the 1400 signatures on the petition are all PA residents, but if they are, they have an opportunity to make their voices heard this November when voting for the school board.
So many commenters are talking about opinion or fact but not admitting that current history classes and curriculum lack a great deal of facts. Growing up, I learned that Columbus was a hero who discovered America. I did not ever read about his brutality, rape of native women or genocide. This “history” was very one-sided and inaccurate. Just one example of many. History is not alway easy to hear but it is important to learn from the past and create empathy for others. Germans teach about the Holocaust in their schools, they do not shy away from their own dark history and it is time for America to take that mature attitude. We can learn a lot from their example. A good read for folks to consider why it is important to have ethnic studies:
https://www.phillymag.com/news/2022/08/27/german-holocaust-education/
Such curriculum could conceivably be an elective, but to be foundational and required by the State when it is SO biased and limited in scope/perspective, really, is to misinform and mislead teens. Vocal special interest groups argue and ovject, but I oppose this curriculum owing to the unwarranted hate shown for this country and micro focus on grievances long past.
Gobblydegook politicized curriculum that reasonable, educated adults with a wide perspective of world history, politics, political philosophies often will take issue with should not be forced onto these teens.
I predict a great rise in private school education in California.
According to the PAUSD website the class will be limited to 20 students per period, and there will be two teachers in the room. Impressive resource allocation.
Is the state providing funds for this? If not, I wonder where the money is coming from, and what will be sacrificed in order to provide for such a luxury.
@Anon Duveneck Have you looked at the curriculum in detail? Can you please tell us what is ‘SO biased” specifically?
And the statement that this is a “micro focus on grievances long past” tells us a great deal. The “grievances” from the past are the basis for the discrimination and racism that are very much alive and well today and have been documented hundreds of times. Many people today still face racism and exclusion – especially from those who try to pretend it no longer exists.
Is the Holocaust a grievance long past too? Should we no longer bother to teach it or offer the perspective of Jews that lived through it? Does it have no impact on the Jewish community today? Civil rights in the US did not become law until the 1960s, even later than what took place by the Nazis in WW2. Segregation, brutality, murder, and even lynching of African Americans were happening well into the 1960s. The lack of jobs, housing, and medical care continues today – especially in certain parts of the country. The Native Americans suffered isolation, land being stolen, lack of medical care, and a host of issues well into the 20th century, and the impact is still felt today.
Comments like the ones posted here make a case for Ethnic Studies classes as they show the impact of ill-informed people wanting to bury their heads in the sand and pretend these issues didn’t exist and don’t impact housing, job opportunities, healthcare, schooling, and most aspects of life for these groups, simply because it is more comfortable for the commenters personally to deny and ignore.
If learning other perspectives significantly raises private school admissions in California, the State can allocate the money to fewer pupils. This is especially true in an area like Palo Alto, where funding is not based on the number of students in the district (Basic Aid), so the district will not lose revenue.
Those families that will flee to private schools are less concerned with schools teaching to think and their students learning new perspectives and empathy than with comfort in their own bubble. The private schools will happily take their money to offer them a safe space to ignore and deny.
@momoftwo
The class will be taught because it is the law.
Discussing or sharing opinions on the matter does not necessarily constitute “burying one’s head in the sand”.
As someone who taught U.S. History for 30 years I can confidently state that many, if not all the issues you have brought up, have been and are still being taught in PAUSD U.S. History courses. Because the curriculum is so wide ranging, teachers cannot emphasize each issue in detail. I tended to focus on the African American and Native American experiences, knowing full well that other groups would not get the same coverage. Thus, it seems fitting that an Ethnic Studies course be offered or required.
The real controversy seems to be over how the class is taught, or what is emphasized.
One vision looks to be, “Let’s celebrate our diversity and the qualities that each ethnic group brings to the table”.
The other, “Let us never forget the hardships that ethnic minorities have faced in the ongoing struggle for equality”.
I know those summaries are a bit simplistic, but I think they are accurate. Is it possible that out of all this discussion, including the posts that seem wrongheaded to you, there might come some middle ground that benefits students?
Often adults want to project their experiences or views upon students and that seems to be the case with both sides in this discussion. I wonder what the students think. It would be great to hear from some of them as well. High school students are pretty good at sniffing out agendas or biased teaching, and when they do they get turned off. My point being that students need to be taught, not preached to, and if all valid opinions are allowed a seat at the table, then the class should be fine. Those with differing viewpoints should not be marginalized as mental ostriches, because that kind of defeats the spirit of the Ethnic Studies course, don’t you think?
@Retired PAUSD Teacher—As you mentioned, parents and students had several opportunities to comment on the curriculum at open comment sessions. Additionally, students’ voices were very much included in at least a few of the working sessions, which is the understanding I have from previous articles. So, I’m not sure why you say student voices were not included.
And you say high schoolers are good at sniffing out agendas – I agree, and they would have said so if they had found them in the materials. Interestingly, other commenters are implying the opposite, that our high school students can not think for themselves, that this course is brainwashing high schoolers (See Barronparker2 comment above: “The goal of the people who have created this “ethnic studies” program is to brainwash children at ever younger ages…”)
When comments have obvious dog whistles like the one above and “micro focus on grievances long past” and “great rise in private school education,” it needs to be called out. The rhetoric from supporters of the petition in the comments feels uneasily dangerous and frankly feels quite racist.
While I am not a big fan of Austin or the Board, I will support them on this because the comments of petition supporters clearly show that their agenda is more dangerous than Austin’s.
To the point about what is emphasized in the class, the vision you said you embrace is “Let’s celebrate our diversity and the qualities that each ethnic group brings to the table.” That sounds lovely but makes it sound like everything is great now, and everyone is equal and happily sitting at the table. That is simply not true. There is still a lot of work to tackle in systemic barriers, and racism is alive and well (just read some of the comments above), and that feels very glossed over in that statement.
The other vision you state, “Let us never forget the hardships that ethnic minorities have faced in the ongoing struggle for equality” is the starting point for an honest discussion on where we are today, how we got here, and most importantly, what precisely can change in the future to get to the first vision – where everyone actually has a seat at the table. We are not there yet as a society and pretending we and teaching students we are are does more harm that good to everyone, especially all the minority groups in question. While it may feel more comfortable for many commenters, it paints a very inaccurate picture of where we are as a society. If you start with an incorrect picture, you don’t move the conversation or real progress forward. Unfortunately, this outcome seems to be the main point of the petition and its supporters.
Let’s be clear: Once the course is launched, parents can review the material with their children in real time whenever they want and speak to teachers and Board members about any concerns. There is much more opportunity in the future to make changes with the input of students and their parents. PAUSD should work with the students and parents in the class and the district to modify the course as needed, not the supporters of this petition.
@momoftwo
I never said student voices were not included. I said I’d like to hear from them on this forum. Sorry if that was not clear.
I do not agree with many of those who posted on this forum either, which is why I hoped some students would chime in because they are the most important stakeholders in this discussion.
I still think my summaries of the two schools of thought are accurate. I did not say I agreed with either. I was just expressing the hope that a “middle ground” could be reached.
In my experience, calling folks with different, albeit dated views, ignorant only makes them more defensive and less likely to listen. That does not help in achieving real progress or moving the conversation forward. Sometimes “buy-in” comes incrementally. I know that is not what some want to hear, especially after centuries of maltreatment, but this class is breaking new ground and that is going to make some folks uncomfortable unfortunately.
@ Retired PAUSD Teacher
Your previous comment said everyone’s views should be included in the conversation. Should a group with folks from outside PAUSD and so many anonymous signers be included? And if they are MAGA, White Supremacists, or political operatives with their own agenda, should their voices be included in developing a PAUSD course?
PAUSD parents and voters need to consider the motivations of some of the petitioners. In my last post, I pointed out some of the racist dog whistles in the petitioner’s comments above. But there is other motivations that also spurred the racist comments.
In a previous article about the PAUSD Ethnic Studies curriculum, PA Online wrote, “Some Jewish groups criticized the state’s effort as emphasizing Palestinian oppression while minimizing the Holocaust.”
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/09/13/palo-alto-unified-prepares-to-make-ethnic-studies-a-graduation-requirement/
In the comments above, a few of the commenters against the PAUSD Ethnic Studies curriculum reference Palestine as one rationale for their opposition:
“After October 7, everyone has seen where this leads. We have college students — especially in the “elite” universities — proclaiming support for Hamas, as evil a terrorist organization as exists on the planet. Stanford and other universities have documented a big increase in antisemitism in our colleges.” (Barronparker2)
“So the brainwashing course of oppressor/oppressed, white people bad, colored people good, Israel bad, Palestinians good is now here to poison Palo Alto kids’ minds.” (A resident of Barron Park)
“Looking at the capstone project: Guess what will inevitably come up? The Israeli Palestinian conflict, with stakeholders on all sides” (Citizen)
The motivation of at least some of the petitioners is about their current political agenda. The logic seems to go – a course that teaches empathy for the struggles and experiences of Black and Brown groups in the state of California and the US (the course goals specifically reference teaching about African American, Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander) might increase sympathy for other Black/Brown groups in the world, like the Palestinians.
So sadly, it looks like some petition supporters, for their own political agenda/gain, would prefer to minimize (sanitize) the experiences and voices of the minority groups whose voices have already been minimized throughout the history of this country and are the focus of the course . Minority groups are being treated as pawns in the petition groups’ current political fight.
The petition group has done a good job of showing us why we need the course—unsanitized. Hopefully, through presenting honest history and frank discussions, this course can help our kids learn to be better human beings than the generation before them and understand that other people should not be invalidated, dehumanized, or treated as political pawns – no matter how you try to justify it.
The district is absolutely right not to engage with this group in any way and focus on building the class with experienced educators, district parents, and district students.
@Retired PAUSD Teacher – And yes, racist comments are ignorant and that is why I called it ignorant. I understand you want to sanitize the comments (like the course) and call them “dated”, but they are both -dated and racist. So yes, the comments were ignorant, as I believe racist comment are.
If you and the other petition supporters feel it is unfair to call racist comments ignorant, then we will have to leave it there as I can’t find middle ground with that either.
@momoftwo
Now you are putting words in my mouth. If I did so to you, I apologize.
So let me clarify: If you live in Palo Alto or EPA, pay property taxes either directly or indirectly, and you support or have concerns about how PAUSD will be teaching Ethnic Studies, then you should have a seat at the table if you desire a seat. Several opportunities for seats were offered, so latecomers should know they missed several chances, but can still evaluate the pilot elective if they are truly concerned about their children’s welfare.
Thus, if there are groups or individuals who do not fit those parameters, then they should be excluded even if they support your viewpoint 100% are and willing to commit resources to your cause.
I do not live in Palo Alto, and I am no longer employed by PAUSD, so as an “outsider” I shall now leave this discussion with the hope that it is student interests that are served at the end of the day. I believe your heart is in the right place and I wish you all the best.
How did I become a petition supporter? Is it because I don’t use language that you want me to use?
You are playing a game that is very similar to the very things you decry.
Now I am out.
@Retired Teacher
I assure you I am not playing any games at all – my concern is with the students and those the ethnic studies program hopes to elevate. I think I have been very straightforward about that and I am sorry if you don’t think so.
Let me continue to be straightforward and answer your question as to why I think you are a petition supporter attempting to play “reasonable cop”. Even though your words seem to appear very moderate and you were seeming to urge a middle ground, what you didn’t say is what told me more.
You read all the comments previous to mine and you said nothing at all about their racist rhetoric and toxic statements – even though multiple comments had it. Not once. You focused only on my comment about racist folks “burying their heads in the sand” and wrote a response to me directly about that urging me to seek compromise. And you tried to diffuse the racist comments I mentioned by telling me they were “dated” and “unfortunate”.
You did not make a single direct response to any of the petition supporters urging them to change their words, tone it down or take the middle ground in spite of all the things they said about brown people, fleeing to private schools, past grievances, brainwashing, etc… None of that was moderate but you let it all go and made no comment. You only focused on replying to the commenter supporting the district’s decision not to engage with this group.
So it is not about you not using the words I want to hear – I never expected you to do that. It is about who you focused on to comment to and urge to seek middle ground and compromise and who you didn’t urge to change or compromise their view or tone.
I’m sure you think my assessment of your stance and strategy is wrong, but I am actually pretty confident in it. I guess everyone will need to judge for themselves and they can go back and reread all the various comments if they wish.
And while we will certainly not agree on the path forward for the district, I hope the discussion helps the readers in Palo Alto make their own judgements about what to support.
Is it possible that I didn’t think it worth bothering with such ignorant comments?
Why do I need to expose racists if they have exposed themselves?
I have no strategy here. No agenda either. I am not part of the Palo Alto Parent Alliance. I just want students to have a good and valuable experience that is not riddled with agendas of any sort.
I can tell you this, when you start seeing racists, “reasonable cops” and agendas with every person that does not share your exact viewpoint, then you start becoming the very thing you oppose.
What is wrong with reason anyhow? Emotion and name calling is not going to mollify the racists. It only enflames them and solidifies their views that the Ethnic Studies course is purely political.
There will be students in that course who do not share your views. What is to be done with them? Proselytizing is not the answer, nor is it the purview of the public schools. Showing students multiple viewpoints and letting them draw their own conclusions is teaching.
I’m not sure which one is on your agenda, but it seems to be leaning toward preaching.
@Retired PAUSD Teacher
My agenda is to keep hate groups with extremists and political operatives out of our schools – it is that simple. The Palo Alto Parents Alliance has shown themselves to be exactly that. Their supporters’ comments make it very clear. Right now, they want a say in the what the ethnic studies class covers (or leaves out) and what comes next? Book banning because the protagonist is brown or Asian? And then will they try to deny science, put the Ten Commandments in the schools? Who knows where they would try to go.
The District allowed public input into the course material already. And they had students and parents in the working group – none of whom raised any concerns about the material. If this hate group missed the chance to bring up their concerns, they can wait for the election and vote for School Board members that might be sympathetic to their agenda. That is how democracy works. That is why we have an elected school board – to be the voice of the community in school related matters. It is not a requirement for the teachers and administrators to go through the course material with this group – which you should know as a former teacher. It is also not a requirement that any group that puts up a website and launches a petition with loads of out of town and anonymous signatures gets a say in PAUSD business. I think most of the community is happy for that. All residents eligible to vote get a say in the schools through voting for the Board that best represents them, not through demanding meetings to inject their personal views or agendas.
You are right, there will be many students that do not share my views, but I am not trying to change the course material to fit my views, the Palo Alto Parent Alliance is. I am leaving it to the teachers, educators, parents and students that created the course to determine what should be covered and waiting for the pilot to launch. As a parent, I know I can discuss any material from the course with my own student. And if I disagree with any material, i can reach out to the teacher or principal immediately. If I have a bigger issue with the material, then I can contact the school board members and/or change my vote in November.
But I know the teachers at my kids school and given the focus on this course, I think they will work hard to make it a good course where students learn a lot and have good discussions. My students have never felt like could not voice their opinion in a PAUSD class discussion with their peers. And many classes in PAUSD split students up into groups to research and present both sides of an issue. They do that to bring different perspectives in and let students reach their own conclusions. Kids do not rote learn anymore. I assume you did group discussions, projects and made sure to include multiple viewpoints when you were teaching at PAUSD so why would you think that wouldn’t happen now in this class?
Will there be students that object to any of the material in the course? Yes, it could happen and that is why there is a pilot of the course happening first. And if a student objects, they and their parents will have an opportunity to speak to teachers, administrators and Board members. As a former teacher, I am sure you would want to make sure your students feel comfortable with material you are covering. Why would you think former colleagues would not do the same? There will even be 2 adults in the room to manage the class and discussions and make sure things go smoothly.
PAUSD has actually handled this course development quite well and has dealt with a hate group exactly as they should – by ignoring it. This class is a requirement from the State so it will happen and the community can work with the schools to make sure it launches as a positive experience for our kids. That is what the majority of the community has been doing.
I also want to thank the The Palo Alto Parent Alliance for making themselves known to the community. Now that we all know what and who they are, those of us that disagree with their racist views and agenda can be sure to steer clear of any candidate that supports them in November.