In 2021 the California State Legislature passed AB101 which makes an ethnic studies course a graduation requirement by 2030.. The bill was supported by Governor Gavin Newsom and authored by Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside). The ethnic studies curriculum is centered around the contributions and abuses of minorities within the United States.
One main issue is that many social studies teachers do not have a ethnic studies credential, and they are expected to be able to thoroughly teach this class. Ethnic studies takes up valuable room in schedules that could be used to fulfill other class requirements. While ethnic studies is important for learning about the untold history of the United States, it should not be mandatory. Instead the ethnic studies curriculum could be merged into the current history curriculum. The regular U.S history curriculum still covers Manifest Destiny, Jim Crow laws, Japanese internment camps and other racial injustices, so the curriculum could be modified to fit a more inclusive educational experience instead of having an entirely separate class for it.
Furthermore, ethnic studies focuses too much on the negatives, instead of the contributions of other minorities. The course curriculum is repetitive and dull, and offers no meaningful gain in the long run. Many students will never end up using the knowledge they gained while taking ethnic studies. Additionally, ethnic studies isn’t full in its scope, as it doesn’t cover European ethnic groups that were infamously prejudiced against, such as the Romani People, and the Jews. Hopefully in the near future the California State Legislature removes ethnic studies from graduation requirements.
