For Immediate Release
Contact: Jose Lara (213) 267-9031
LAUSD to Consider Adding Ethnic Studies Graduation Requirement
Community Rallies in Support
The Los Angeles Ethnic Studies Now Coalition will hold a rally and press conference in front of LAUSD headquarters to rally in support of adding Ethnic Studies Course as a graduation requirement in LAUSD. The resolution to add Ethnic Studies is being introduced by LAUSD Board Member Bennett Kayser for initial announcement at the regular LAUSD board meeting on October 14th, 2014. The final vote is expected on November 18th, 2014.
Ethnic Studies courses are already approved by LAUSD and the State of California as non-mandatory elective classes. However, few high schools offer these classes. According to the most recent data from the California Department of Education, in 2012-13, LAUSD only offered Ethnic Studies courses at 19 out of 94 of its senior high schools. Because of this limited access, only 691 out of a total of 152,507 high school students in LAUSD were enrolled in Ethnic Studies courses, despite the fact that over 90% of LAUSD is comprised of students of color whose shared experiences are marginalized and forgotten in the mainstream curriculum.
The Ethnic Studies Now Coalition is demanding that LAUSD change its policy to include Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement. Numerous research studies have shown that a well-developed and well-thought-out Ethnic Studies curriculum has positive academic and social outcomes for students. The Ethnic Studies Now Coalition has gathered over 1,200 signatures and received numerous letters of support for Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement from experts in Education and Ethnic Studies, as well as local and national organizations which are available online at: www.EthnicStudiesNow.com
Ethnic Studies Now
Press Conference and Rally
Tuesday, October 14th, 2014
4:00 pm
LAUSD Headquarters
333 South Beaudry Avenue,
Los Angeles CA 90017
Our Central Message is:
1. Parents, Teachers, Students and Academics support a LAUSD Ethnic Studies grad req.
2. Studies show that Ethnic Studies increase academic & social outcomes for students
3. Ethnic Studies help students learn about themselves and others and fulfill a void in the current curriculum.
Ethnic Studies Now representatives are available for interviews in Spanish and English
For more information contact:
Jose Lara 213.267.9031
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