I've mentioned this Ethnic Studies bill (SB695) by Senator Sylvia Garcia elsewhere on this blog. Please visit the page to see what you can do. We need folks to weigh in so that the bill gets heard.
Glad to see this February 11, 2017 piece by James Ragland in the Dallas Morning News Opinion section and especially to see that it addresses important research in Ethnic Studies that informs Senator Garcia's bill.
Angela Valenzuela
Done the right way, a course in ethnic studies could be a
boon for Texas' public school students — more than 70 percent of whom
are ethnic minorities. (Link to article here.)
At least, that's what scholarly research suggests.
So it came as no surprise to me when California, a state in which Latinos make up 53 percent of the student body, approved a law last fall that calls for creating a standardized ethnic studies curriculum for high schools across the Golden State.
Now, a group of lawmakers is trying to do something similar in the Lone Star State, where Latinos alone comprise 52 percent of the 5.2 million public school students in Texas. Whites make up 29 percent of Texas students; African-Americans, 13 percent; Asians, 4 percent; and the rest, "others."
Eight Texas senators — led by Senate Hispanic Caucus Chair Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston — are co-sponsoring a measure, Senate Bill 695, that would require the State Board of Education to develop ethnic studies as elective courses for middle and high school students.
Glad to see this February 11, 2017 piece by James Ragland in the Dallas Morning News Opinion section and especially to see that it addresses important research in Ethnic Studies that informs Senator Garcia's bill.
Angela Valenzuela
At least, that's what scholarly research suggests.
So it came as no surprise to me when California, a state in which Latinos make up 53 percent of the student body, approved a law last fall that calls for creating a standardized ethnic studies curriculum for high schools across the Golden State.
Now, a group of lawmakers is trying to do something similar in the Lone Star State, where Latinos alone comprise 52 percent of the 5.2 million public school students in Texas. Whites make up 29 percent of Texas students; African-Americans, 13 percent; Asians, 4 percent; and the rest, "others."
Eight Texas senators — led by Senate Hispanic Caucus Chair Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston — are co-sponsoring a measure, Senate Bill 695, that would require the State Board of Education to develop ethnic studies as elective courses for middle and high school students.
But here's the key — and, possibly, the biggest obstacle:
The measure would mandate the politically conservative state education
board to develop separate "content-based curriculum" standards for
courses in Mexican-American, African-American, Native American
and Asian-American studies. The same standard would apply to any other
ethnic group added to the list.
Back in 2014, you may recall, the State Board of Education sidestepped a proposal to create a statewide Mexican-American studies course as a high school elective. Instead, the board agreed later to come up with instructional materials and asked publishers to submit textbooks by the start of the 2016-17 school year.
That effort blew up in the board's face after the Texas Education Agency put a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook online for public review last May. It was a disaster.
Back in 2014, you may recall, the State Board of Education sidestepped a proposal to create a statewide Mexican-American studies course as a high school elective. Instead, the board agreed later to come up with instructional materials and asked publishers to submit textbooks by the start of the 2016-17 school year.
That effort blew up in the board's face after the Texas Education Agency put a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook online for public review last May. It was a disaster.
State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, and Sen.
Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, joined hands during the opening prayer
in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in
Austin. (Eric Gay/The Associated Press)
Turns out the book, Mexican American Heritage, not
only was written by authors unknown to seasoned scholars of
Mexican-American history and culture, but was also produced by a company
owned by a former State Board of Education member, Cynthia Dunbar, a
conservative with a strong right hook.
Dunbar penned a 2008 book, One Nation Under God, in which she called public education a "tool of perversion." So, yeah, you had to figure she wouldn't be the ideal point person to come up with something as radical for Texas as an ethnic studies textbook that would cast Mexican-Americans in a fresh, new light.
The textbook her company turned in was widely bashed for its factual errors and its generous use of stereotypes suggesting that Mexicans were "lazy" and that Chicano activists in the 1960s were out to "destroy" American society.
She blamed the criticism of her head-scratching book on the media and "rabidly liberal groups."
Sound familiar?
Long story short: Last November, even the conservative-leaning State Board of Education, with 10 Republicans and five Democrats, unanimously rejected the book for use in Texas classrooms.
Garcia saw the writing on the wall. About two weeks before the board pulled the plug on that book — which, by the way, was the only one submitted — Garcia announced she'd file a bill during this year's legislative session to up the ante and create a standardized ethnic studies curriculum.
"Ethnic studies should not be controversial," Garcia said at the time, according to the Austin American-Statesman. "With the diversity we have in this great state, it should be a no-brainer."
Garcia, who has seven co-sponsors, all Democrats, said Friday that she hopes to attract bipartisan support for her bill, which was filed on Jan. 31 — if she can get a committee hearing on the measure and get it out of the Senate.
Is that a big if?
Maybe.
"We'll slowly work through it," she said. "It's not just about our kids. It's about all of us knowing about each other. The more we learn about each other, share our stories and look at our histories, we'll find we have more in common."
Several studies back her up.
A 2011 report by the National Education Association — "The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review — concluded: "Considerable research evidence shows that well-designed and well-taught ethnic studies curricula have positive academic and social outcomes for students."
But you can't just throw anyone into a classroom to make it work. Both the textbook and the teacher matter.
"Ethnic studies teachers must be able to relate well with their students, believe in students' academic abilities, and know ethnic studies content and perspectives well," the NEA study suggested.
All students, not just ethnic minorities, benefit from the broader learning.
"Both students of color and white students have been found to benefit academically as well as socially from ethnic studies," the NEA report said. "Indeed, rather than being non-academic, well-planned ethnic studies curricula are often very academically rigorous. Rather than being divisive, ethnic studies helps students to bridge differences that already exist in experiences and perspectives. In these ways, ethnic studies play an important role in building a truly inclusive multicultural democracy and system of education."
A more recent study released last year by the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that ethnic studies courses in a pilot program in San Francisco boosted the academic performance and attendance of high school kids at risk of dropping out.
Garcia has more than enough evidence on her side. Still, as we've seen in Arizona — which is rebelling against ethnic studies programs — you can't underestimate partisan push-back against such progressive ideas.
"Studies have found these kinds of courses really do a lot of good, especially for low-performing students," by keeping them engaged and instilling a sense of pride in their heritage, Garcia said. "And then it pays off in their other subjects."
The question now is, can she round up enough votes?
Dunbar penned a 2008 book, One Nation Under God, in which she called public education a "tool of perversion." So, yeah, you had to figure she wouldn't be the ideal point person to come up with something as radical for Texas as an ethnic studies textbook that would cast Mexican-Americans in a fresh, new light.
The textbook her company turned in was widely bashed for its factual errors and its generous use of stereotypes suggesting that Mexicans were "lazy" and that Chicano activists in the 1960s were out to "destroy" American society.
She blamed the criticism of her head-scratching book on the media and "rabidly liberal groups."
Sound familiar?
Long story short: Last November, even the conservative-leaning State Board of Education, with 10 Republicans and five Democrats, unanimously rejected the book for use in Texas classrooms.
Garcia saw the writing on the wall. About two weeks before the board pulled the plug on that book — which, by the way, was the only one submitted — Garcia announced she'd file a bill during this year's legislative session to up the ante and create a standardized ethnic studies curriculum.
"Ethnic studies should not be controversial," Garcia said at the time, according to the Austin American-Statesman. "With the diversity we have in this great state, it should be a no-brainer."
Garcia, who has seven co-sponsors, all Democrats, said Friday that she hopes to attract bipartisan support for her bill, which was filed on Jan. 31 — if she can get a committee hearing on the measure and get it out of the Senate.
Is that a big if?
Maybe.
"We'll slowly work through it," she said. "It's not just about our kids. It's about all of us knowing about each other. The more we learn about each other, share our stories and look at our histories, we'll find we have more in common."
Several studies back her up.
A 2011 report by the National Education Association — "The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review — concluded: "Considerable research evidence shows that well-designed and well-taught ethnic studies curricula have positive academic and social outcomes for students."
But you can't just throw anyone into a classroom to make it work. Both the textbook and the teacher matter.
"Ethnic studies teachers must be able to relate well with their students, believe in students' academic abilities, and know ethnic studies content and perspectives well," the NEA study suggested.
All students, not just ethnic minorities, benefit from the broader learning.
"Both students of color and white students have been found to benefit academically as well as socially from ethnic studies," the NEA report said. "Indeed, rather than being non-academic, well-planned ethnic studies curricula are often very academically rigorous. Rather than being divisive, ethnic studies helps students to bridge differences that already exist in experiences and perspectives. In these ways, ethnic studies play an important role in building a truly inclusive multicultural democracy and system of education."
A more recent study released last year by the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that ethnic studies courses in a pilot program in San Francisco boosted the academic performance and attendance of high school kids at risk of dropping out.
Garcia has more than enough evidence on her side. Still, as we've seen in Arizona — which is rebelling against ethnic studies programs — you can't underestimate partisan push-back against such progressive ideas.
"Studies have found these kinds of courses really do a lot of good, especially for low-performing students," by keeping them engaged and instilling a sense of pride in their heritage, Garcia said. "And then it pays off in their other subjects."
The question now is, can she round up enough votes?
At least, that's what scholarly research suggests.
So it came as no surprise to me when California, a state in which Latinos make up 53 percent of the student body, approved a law last fall that calls for creating a standardized ethnic studies curriculum for high schools across the Golden State.
Now, a group of lawmakers is trying to do something similar in the Lone Star State, where Latinos alone comprise 52 percent of the 5.2 million public school students in Texas. Whites make up 29 percent of Texas students; African-Americans, 13 percent; Asians, 4 percent; and the rest, "others."
Eight Texas senators — led by Senate Hispanic Caucus Chair Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston — are co-sponsoring a measure, Senate Bill 695, that would require the State Board of Education to develop ethnic studies as elective courses for middle and high school students.
But here's the key — and, possibly, the biggest obstacle:
The measure would mandate the politically conservative state education
board to develop separate "content-based curriculum" standards for
courses in Mexican-American, African-American, Native American
and Asian-American studies. The same standard would apply to any other
ethnic group added to the list.
Back in 2014, you may recall, the State Board of Education sidestepped a proposal to create a statewide Mexican-American studies course as a high school elective. Instead, the board agreed later to come up with instructional materials and asked publishers to submit textbooks by the start of the 2016-17 school year.
That effort blew up in the board's face after the Texas Education Agency put a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook online for public review last May. It was a disaster.
Back in 2014, you may recall, the State Board of Education sidestepped a proposal to create a statewide Mexican-American studies course as a high school elective. Instead, the board agreed later to come up with instructional materials and asked publishers to submit textbooks by the start of the 2016-17 school year.
That effort blew up in the board's face after the Texas Education Agency put a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook online for public review last May. It was a disaster.
State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, and Sen.
Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, joined hands during the opening prayer
in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in
Austin. (Eric Gay/The Associated Press)
Turns out the book, Mexican American Heritage, not
only was written by authors unknown to seasoned scholars of
Mexican-American history and culture, but was also produced by a company
owned by a former State Board of Education member, Cynthia Dunbar, a
conservative with a strong right hook.
Dunbar penned a 2008 book, One Nation Under God, in which she called public education a "tool of perversion." So, yeah, you had to figure she wouldn't be the ideal point person to come up with something as radical for Texas as an ethnic studies textbook that would cast Mexican-Americans in a fresh, new light.
The textbook her company turned in was widely bashed for its factual errors and its generous use of stereotypes suggesting that Mexicans were "lazy" and that Chicano activists in the 1960s were out to "destroy" American society.
She blamed the criticism of her head-scratching book on the media and "rabidly liberal groups."
Sound familiar?
Long story short: Last November, even the conservative-leaning State Board of Education, with 10 Republicans and five Democrats, unanimously rejected the book for use in Texas classrooms.
Garcia saw the writing on the wall. About two weeks before the board pulled the plug on that book — which, by the way, was the only one submitted — Garcia announced she'd file a bill during this year's legislative session to up the ante and create a standardized ethnic studies curriculum.
"Ethnic studies should not be controversial," Garcia said at the time, according to the Austin American-Statesman. "With the diversity we have in this great state, it should be a no-brainer."
Garcia, who has seven co-sponsors, all Democrats, said Friday that she hopes to attract bipartisan support for her bill, which was filed on Jan. 31 — if she can get a committee hearing on the measure and get it out of the Senate.
Is that a big if?
Maybe.
"We'll slowly work through it," she said. "It's not just about our kids. It's about all of us knowing about each other. The more we learn about each other, share our stories and look at our histories, we'll find we have more in common."
Several studies back her up.
A 2011 report by the National Education Association — "The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review — concluded: "Considerable research evidence shows that well-designed and well-taught ethnic studies curricula have positive academic and social outcomes for students."
But you can't just throw anyone into a classroom to make it work. Both the textbook and the teacher matter.
"Ethnic studies teachers must be able to relate well with their students, believe in students' academic abilities, and know ethnic studies content and perspectives well," the NEA study suggested.
All students, not just ethnic minorities, benefit from the broader learning.
"Both students of color and white students have been found to benefit academically as well as socially from ethnic studies," the NEA report said. "Indeed, rather than being non-academic, well-planned ethnic studies curricula are often very academically rigorous. Rather than being divisive, ethnic studies helps students to bridge differences that already exist in experiences and perspectives. In these ways, ethnic studies play an important role in building a truly inclusive multicultural democracy and system of education."
A more recent study released last year by the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that ethnic studies courses in a pilot program in San Francisco boosted the academic performance and attendance of high school kids at risk of dropping out.
Garcia has more than enough evidence on her side. Still, as we've seen in Arizona — which is rebelling against ethnic studies programs — you can't underestimate partisan push-back against such progressive ideas.
"Studies have found these kinds of courses really do a lot of good, especially for low-performing students," by keeping them engaged and instilling a sense of pride in their heritage, Garcia said. "And then it pays off in their other subjects."
The question now is, can she round up enough votes?
Dunbar penned a 2008 book, One Nation Under God, in which she called public education a "tool of perversion." So, yeah, you had to figure she wouldn't be the ideal point person to come up with something as radical for Texas as an ethnic studies textbook that would cast Mexican-Americans in a fresh, new light.
The textbook her company turned in was widely bashed for its factual errors and its generous use of stereotypes suggesting that Mexicans were "lazy" and that Chicano activists in the 1960s were out to "destroy" American society.
She blamed the criticism of her head-scratching book on the media and "rabidly liberal groups."
Sound familiar?
Long story short: Last November, even the conservative-leaning State Board of Education, with 10 Republicans and five Democrats, unanimously rejected the book for use in Texas classrooms.
Garcia saw the writing on the wall. About two weeks before the board pulled the plug on that book — which, by the way, was the only one submitted — Garcia announced she'd file a bill during this year's legislative session to up the ante and create a standardized ethnic studies curriculum.
"Ethnic studies should not be controversial," Garcia said at the time, according to the Austin American-Statesman. "With the diversity we have in this great state, it should be a no-brainer."
Garcia, who has seven co-sponsors, all Democrats, said Friday that she hopes to attract bipartisan support for her bill, which was filed on Jan. 31 — if she can get a committee hearing on the measure and get it out of the Senate.
Is that a big if?
Maybe.
"We'll slowly work through it," she said. "It's not just about our kids. It's about all of us knowing about each other. The more we learn about each other, share our stories and look at our histories, we'll find we have more in common."
Several studies back her up.
A 2011 report by the National Education Association — "The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review — concluded: "Considerable research evidence shows that well-designed and well-taught ethnic studies curricula have positive academic and social outcomes for students."
But you can't just throw anyone into a classroom to make it work. Both the textbook and the teacher matter.
"Ethnic studies teachers must be able to relate well with their students, believe in students' academic abilities, and know ethnic studies content and perspectives well," the NEA study suggested.
All students, not just ethnic minorities, benefit from the broader learning.
"Both students of color and white students have been found to benefit academically as well as socially from ethnic studies," the NEA report said. "Indeed, rather than being non-academic, well-planned ethnic studies curricula are often very academically rigorous. Rather than being divisive, ethnic studies helps students to bridge differences that already exist in experiences and perspectives. In these ways, ethnic studies play an important role in building a truly inclusive multicultural democracy and system of education."
A more recent study released last year by the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that ethnic studies courses in a pilot program in San Francisco boosted the academic performance and attendance of high school kids at risk of dropping out.
Garcia has more than enough evidence on her side. Still, as we've seen in Arizona — which is rebelling against ethnic studies programs — you can't underestimate partisan push-back against such progressive ideas.
"Studies have found these kinds of courses really do a lot of good, especially for low-performing students," by keeping them engaged and instilling a sense of pride in their heritage, Garcia said. "And then it pays off in their other subjects."
The question now is, can she round up enough votes?
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