T.-4 20-1186 Discussion and possible Adoption by the Board of Education of Resolution No. 1920-0246 - Affirming Support of AB2016 California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Draft Created by Ethnic Studies Experts.
Board Members, I am a graduate of Oakland public schools and a grandparent of three who attend Oakland public schools. It is extremely disappointing that the School Board would propose adoption of a version of a model ethnic studies curriculum that has been rejected by the Governor, Superintendent Thurmond and key educators and legislators because of its failure to address groups fairly and accurately. The impact of adopting this version will be to further divide our community at a time when that must be avoided. The Board should allow the state revision process to be completed..
Supporting the ethnic studies model curriculum draft is an essential step forward in providing the education our Oakland students deserve. As a teacher of Arab, Pacific Islander, and Central American students, I know it would be very empowering for them to have their identities and issues reflected in the curriculum they study. Many students of color have not seen themselves in their education, and we should not deny them much longer, especially with a well-supported and carefully written curriculum draft here already. It's time to put our students of color as our first priority.
As an Israeli-American citizen, who grow up in Israel and proudly served in the Israeli Air Force, I have witnessed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first hand. I have learned that there are both sides who argues their rights to be heard. While reading the proposed curriculum, I was shocked to discover how biased the material is. However, considering that the state of Israel is the ONLY democracy in the Middle East, and Israel is the only state who allows women to have equal rights, it is a shame and embarrassment to portray the Palestinians as the weak ones who no one helps. The Palestinian authority received billions of dollars as aid from the world and only use it for terror, nothing else. Rejecting the Israeli side from the equation is equivalent to omitting the Native American history from the american history books. . I respectfully ask that you follow your own guideline by "empowering authentic and self determined marginalized voices, stories and cultures" for EVERY culture.
Please wait for the state to revise the curriculum to eliminate bias.
This curriculum denigrates Jews and institutionalizes anti-Semitic tropes such as that Jews manipulate of the media. It is worth waiting for the state to make improvements before implementing.
I absolutely believe in Ethnic Studies and am eager to see our understanding of history broadened to include the experiences of all those who comprise our society. I do not oppose Ethnic Studies. I oppose using the curriculum in the current form where true minorities are left out and misrepresented. I want our schools to aspire to be truly inclusive and representative of who we are as a society, and the curriculum as it stands now does not do that. There is no reason to preempt the state's revision of the curriculum. We can do better by our students and by our citizens.
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to SUPPORT the adoption of the proposed Ethnic Studies curriculum. This program is what was needed when I was going to school in Oakland back in the 90s. I was lucky to be in a school and have teachers that made sure to teach us such things, but I've witnessed my friends (which this program would represent) get harassed and bullied because of their identity and religion. I strongly believe this program would remove a lot of the bullying the students of Oakland face. The cure to hate is knowledge and this is the knowledge we need! I support Resolution No. 1920-0246
As Jew who supports Israel I know there are 2 sides to the story: what Arabs call Nakba we call the creation of Israel. But the current agenda proposed is not fully baked, and does not include enough perspective or coverage of other marginalized ethnic groups, including Jews. Discussing whether Israel is an apartheid system is not balanced if it neglects to educate that Palestinian leadership has for decades harmed their people by behaving irrationally, and inciting violence and hatred. Teaching (or worse, advocating for) BDS ignores the fact that Israel continues to develop technology that benefit all of humanity, from cell phone design and medicine to development of social distancing solutions that may be utilized by employers and public schools including OUSD to prevent spread of COVID-19 (4:10). Even Former Assemblymember Luis Alejo (author of AB 2016) says “This draft, in its current form, is in need of several major revisions in key areas."
Vote yes for Ethic Studies in Oakland. Arab American Studies is important to me because Arabs are too often deemed an "other"--both in greater US society and in my personal Jewish community. As someone who speaks Arabic and spent significant time in the Arab world, I want to ensure that my neighbors and community members have exposure to and appreciate the depth of the varied histories, the beauty of the language, the delights of the customs--to humanize a group that is otherwise demonized in popular media. Though Jews and Arabs are not mutually exclusive groups, we are often pitted against each other. And yet we are natural allies.
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to reject the adoption of the proposed Ethnic Studies curriculum. A successful Ethnic studies curriculum should encourage students to learn about people from diverse backgrounds and identities without denigrating others. The proposed curriculum does not do that. Please do not rush to adopt a flawed curriculum. Oakland students deserve better.
I fully support! In 1968 marginalized students of color began a movement to decolonize our public schools and to center the hystories, philosophies, and knowledge of poeple of color. Now, we must stand with our ancestors and continue the struggle for liberation. Ethnic Studies empowered me to overcome my fears and helped me to graduate from college. Studies have shown access to ES curriculum empowers students and leads to better academic outcomes. Let's get this done!
I support ethnic studies in general as a way to alleviate prejudice and bigotry and bring us closer as a community, but what a cruel irony that this curriculum draft will actually increase discrimination and fuel hatred. For those in support, please look into your hearts at why you support this. I know your intentions are to expand the students understanding of our diverse community , but the details of this curriculum draft will only worsen the divide among our students, not bring them together. Go back to the drawing board and do it right.
This represents Oakland, and I'm proud this resolution has finally made it here. I moved to Oakland 20 years ago and this is the reason I moved here. Oakland is leading America in teaching the history of POC in a manner that gives voice and power to those very people. I'm proud my children go to school in Oakland and will have the potential opportunity of learning this curriculum. As an active member of the Jewish community in Oakland I'm fully support of this, and condemn many of the racist remarks being made by my fellow neighbors and community members. There is no room for hate and racism in Oakland.
While i fully support diversity, multiculturalism and ethnic studies in the schools. I do not support this device curricula. It needs much reworking before implementation. This curriculum divides ethnicities rather than bringing people together, erases the Jewish experience, and spends an inordinate amount of time promoting boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel. It also leaves out dozens of ethnic groups who are part of the fabric of California, and is more agenda driven in general than critical thinking driven.
Please rework this prior to implementation.
Thank you!
Elyse Gilbert
Mother to Cleveland Elem student, Oliver Sherman 1st grade
We in Oakland pride ourselves on our progressive values that prioritize an intellectually honest, unbiased approach towards education that will help foster a more just and equitable society. Learning about the experiences of specific ethnicities is a crucial component of expanding individuals perspectives beyond what they inherit more passively from their immediate experiences. This content, however, if delivered incompletely, can have profoundly damaging effects and reinforce the very issue and divides we seek mend via information. This curriculum has been resolutely identified by many of our respected leaders and peers as unready and problematic. We need this curriculum, but we need it in a form where it will achieve its true goals of expanding and informing, not narrowing or mis-informing the views of our precious students. I urge the board to wait until the curriculum is revised to adopt. It is clearly the responsible approach to ensure the efficacy and longevity of the curriculum.
As an active parent at Skyline HS and graduate. I urge you to SUPPORT Resolution No. 1920-0246. I believe that ethnic studies is essential for our children's education, this resolution includes major populations of students in our districts because and is based on solid foundations adopted by our state Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. We need this curriculum to represent people, faiths, and ethnicities that have been marginalized for so long. Coalitions of faith leaders and ethnic groups agree with this resolution. Please give our children the best opportunity to learn about their peers and the great diversity in our city and state.
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to reject the adoption of this particular curriculum which has already been thoroughly examined - and rejected - by the Governor, Superintendent Thurmond, other educators and the state legislature. Although the pursuit of a robust ethnic studies curriculum warrants the full support of the Board, there is little serious debate that this particular curriculum falls far short of the goals our students deserve. If anything, the curriculum seems to foment distrust, hatred and ethnic isolation. I ask the Board to refrain from promoting the current trend of politicizing every conceivable subject and to otherwise take the time to work with state and national educators to develop an appropriate and fulsome ethnic studies program. Oakland students deserve nothing less. In this time in particular, we need to be searching for ways to work, live and learn together; not to create discord and division. Thank you for your hard work and consideration.
Ethnic studies should be inclusive and should not tear us apart. The strong opinions on both sides of this issue demonstrate that the curriculum being considered is extremely divisive. Oakland students should never be subjected to a curriculum that denigrates any minority group. Please reject the resolution.
I fully agree with Ethnic Studies Course. However, how can the City of Oakland use a Course that is being rejected by the State of California. The City should wait for the revised curriculum before implementing the course.
Dear Members of the Board of Education,
I strongly urge you to reject the resolution as it stands. It is being reworked on the state level to be more inclusive and eliminate biases. Oakland students deserve better.
Board Members, I am a graduate of Oakland public schools and a grandparent of three who attend Oakland public schools. It is extremely disappointing that the School Board would propose adoption of a version of a model ethnic studies curriculum that has been rejected by the Governor, Superintendent Thurmond and key educators and legislators because of its failure to address groups fairly and accurately. The impact of adopting this version will be to further divide our community at a time when that must be avoided. The Board should allow the state revision process to be completed..
Supporting the ethnic studies model curriculum draft is an essential step forward in providing the education our Oakland students deserve. As a teacher of Arab, Pacific Islander, and Central American students, I know it would be very empowering for them to have their identities and issues reflected in the curriculum they study. Many students of color have not seen themselves in their education, and we should not deny them much longer, especially with a well-supported and carefully written curriculum draft here already. It's time to put our students of color as our first priority.
As an Israeli-American citizen, who grow up in Israel and proudly served in the Israeli Air Force, I have witnessed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first hand. I have learned that there are both sides who argues their rights to be heard. While reading the proposed curriculum, I was shocked to discover how biased the material is. However, considering that the state of Israel is the ONLY democracy in the Middle East, and Israel is the only state who allows women to have equal rights, it is a shame and embarrassment to portray the Palestinians as the weak ones who no one helps. The Palestinian authority received billions of dollars as aid from the world and only use it for terror, nothing else. Rejecting the Israeli side from the equation is equivalent to omitting the Native American history from the american history books. . I respectfully ask that you follow your own guideline by "empowering authentic and self determined marginalized voices, stories and cultures" for EVERY culture.
Please wait for the state to revise the curriculum to eliminate bias.
This curriculum denigrates Jews and institutionalizes anti-Semitic tropes such as that Jews manipulate of the media. It is worth waiting for the state to make improvements before implementing.
I absolutely believe in Ethnic Studies and am eager to see our understanding of history broadened to include the experiences of all those who comprise our society. I do not oppose Ethnic Studies. I oppose using the curriculum in the current form where true minorities are left out and misrepresented. I want our schools to aspire to be truly inclusive and representative of who we are as a society, and the curriculum as it stands now does not do that. There is no reason to preempt the state's revision of the curriculum. We can do better by our students and by our citizens.
Hello,
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to SUPPORT the adoption of the proposed Ethnic Studies curriculum. This program is what was needed when I was going to school in Oakland back in the 90s. I was lucky to be in a school and have teachers that made sure to teach us such things, but I've witnessed my friends (which this program would represent) get harassed and bullied because of their identity and religion. I strongly believe this program would remove a lot of the bullying the students of Oakland face. The cure to hate is knowledge and this is the knowledge we need! I support Resolution No. 1920-0246
Thank you,
Alex
As Jew who supports Israel I know there are 2 sides to the story: what Arabs call Nakba we call the creation of Israel. But the current agenda proposed is not fully baked, and does not include enough perspective or coverage of other marginalized ethnic groups, including Jews. Discussing whether Israel is an apartheid system is not balanced if it neglects to educate that Palestinian leadership has for decades harmed their people by behaving irrationally, and inciting violence and hatred. Teaching (or worse, advocating for) BDS ignores the fact that Israel continues to develop technology that benefit all of humanity, from cell phone design and medicine to development of social distancing solutions that may be utilized by employers and public schools including OUSD to prevent spread of COVID-19 (4:10). Even Former Assemblymember Luis Alejo (author of AB 2016) says “This draft, in its current form, is in need of several major revisions in key areas."
Vote yes for Ethic Studies in Oakland. Arab American Studies is important to me because Arabs are too often deemed an "other"--both in greater US society and in my personal Jewish community. As someone who speaks Arabic and spent significant time in the Arab world, I want to ensure that my neighbors and community members have exposure to and appreciate the depth of the varied histories, the beauty of the language, the delights of the customs--to humanize a group that is otherwise demonized in popular media. Though Jews and Arabs are not mutually exclusive groups, we are often pitted against each other. And yet we are natural allies.
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to reject the adoption of the proposed Ethnic Studies curriculum. A successful Ethnic studies curriculum should encourage students to learn about people from diverse backgrounds and identities without denigrating others. The proposed curriculum does not do that. Please do not rush to adopt a flawed curriculum. Oakland students deserve better.
I fully support! In 1968 marginalized students of color began a movement to decolonize our public schools and to center the hystories, philosophies, and knowledge of poeple of color. Now, we must stand with our ancestors and continue the struggle for liberation. Ethnic Studies empowered me to overcome my fears and helped me to graduate from college. Studies have shown access to ES curriculum empowers students and leads to better academic outcomes. Let's get this done!
Long overdue, fully support
I support ethnic studies in general as a way to alleviate prejudice and bigotry and bring us closer as a community, but what a cruel irony that this curriculum draft will actually increase discrimination and fuel hatred. For those in support, please look into your hearts at why you support this. I know your intentions are to expand the students understanding of our diverse community , but the details of this curriculum draft will only worsen the divide among our students, not bring them together. Go back to the drawing board and do it right.
This represents Oakland, and I'm proud this resolution has finally made it here. I moved to Oakland 20 years ago and this is the reason I moved here. Oakland is leading America in teaching the history of POC in a manner that gives voice and power to those very people. I'm proud my children go to school in Oakland and will have the potential opportunity of learning this curriculum. As an active member of the Jewish community in Oakland I'm fully support of this, and condemn many of the racist remarks being made by my fellow neighbors and community members. There is no room for hate and racism in Oakland.
While i fully support diversity, multiculturalism and ethnic studies in the schools. I do not support this device curricula. It needs much reworking before implementation. This curriculum divides ethnicities rather than bringing people together, erases the Jewish experience, and spends an inordinate amount of time promoting boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel. It also leaves out dozens of ethnic groups who are part of the fabric of California, and is more agenda driven in general than critical thinking driven.
Please rework this prior to implementation.
Thank you!
Elyse Gilbert
Mother to Cleveland Elem student, Oliver Sherman 1st grade
We in Oakland pride ourselves on our progressive values that prioritize an intellectually honest, unbiased approach towards education that will help foster a more just and equitable society. Learning about the experiences of specific ethnicities is a crucial component of expanding individuals perspectives beyond what they inherit more passively from their immediate experiences. This content, however, if delivered incompletely, can have profoundly damaging effects and reinforce the very issue and divides we seek mend via information. This curriculum has been resolutely identified by many of our respected leaders and peers as unready and problematic. We need this curriculum, but we need it in a form where it will achieve its true goals of expanding and informing, not narrowing or mis-informing the views of our precious students. I urge the board to wait until the curriculum is revised to adopt. It is clearly the responsible approach to ensure the efficacy and longevity of the curriculum.
Dear Board Members,
As an active parent at Skyline HS and graduate. I urge you to SUPPORT Resolution No. 1920-0246. I believe that ethnic studies is essential for our children's education, this resolution includes major populations of students in our districts because and is based on solid foundations adopted by our state Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. We need this curriculum to represent people, faiths, and ethnicities that have been marginalized for so long. Coalitions of faith leaders and ethnic groups agree with this resolution. Please give our children the best opportunity to learn about their peers and the great diversity in our city and state.
Sincerely,
Aaron Wong
I strongly urge the Oakland School Board to reject the adoption of this particular curriculum which has already been thoroughly examined - and rejected - by the Governor, Superintendent Thurmond, other educators and the state legislature. Although the pursuit of a robust ethnic studies curriculum warrants the full support of the Board, there is little serious debate that this particular curriculum falls far short of the goals our students deserve. If anything, the curriculum seems to foment distrust, hatred and ethnic isolation. I ask the Board to refrain from promoting the current trend of politicizing every conceivable subject and to otherwise take the time to work with state and national educators to develop an appropriate and fulsome ethnic studies program. Oakland students deserve nothing less. In this time in particular, we need to be searching for ways to work, live and learn together; not to create discord and division. Thank you for your hard work and consideration.
Ethnic studies should be inclusive and should not tear us apart. The strong opinions on both sides of this issue demonstrate that the curriculum being considered is extremely divisive. Oakland students should never be subjected to a curriculum that denigrates any minority group. Please reject the resolution.
I fully agree with Ethnic Studies Course. However, how can the City of Oakland use a Course that is being rejected by the State of California. The City should wait for the revised curriculum before implementing the course.
Dear Members of the Board of Education,
I strongly urge you to reject the resolution as it stands. It is being reworked on the state level to be more inclusive and eliminate biases. Oakland students deserve better.