Elias Serna

  • signed Compton USD 2017-08-22 01:29:08 -0700

    Compton ESN

    291 signatures

    Ethnic Studies NOW Petition - Compton 

    We, the undersigned, support the creation of an A-G approved Ethnic Studies course as a high school graduation requirement in each of the high schools in Compton, CA.

    Using demographic data provided by the California Department of Education for the 2014-15 K-12 academic school year, our students are 79 % Hispanic/Latino, 19 % African American, .1% American Indian/Alaskan Native, .05 % Asian, .68 % Pacific Islander, .06 % Filipino, and .33 % White. The time is NOW for our ethnically diverse youth to see their hi/stories as worthy of study and inquiry. We believe in the power of a curriculum that can present a genealogy of common struggles and successes. The best education includes narratives often missing from a Euro-centric curriculum that marginalizes diverse histories, cultures, and perspectives. Ethnic Studies recognizes that our students are valuable and worthy of an education that teaches them a complex, well-rounded, and critical history of the United States.

    Currently recorded in the US Census Bureau for the years 2010-2014, the high school graduation rate for the city of Compton is a mere 60.1%. Furthermore, only 6.4% of our population, between the same time period, obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Research demonstrates that Ethnic Studies curriculums can help close the achievement gap, reduce student truancy, increase student enrollment, reduce “drop-out” rates, and increase graduation rates. Ethnic Studies requires and prompts students to be critical thinkers in not only identifying complex social problems, but also to collaborate in real world problem solving and solution posing. Ethnic Studies allows our students the opportunity to become active agents of social change in their community by promoting civic engagement and leadership.

    Currently, there are no formally established Ethnic Studies programs, in which all students have access, in any of our Compton high school’s. Further, we advocate for the establishment of Ethnic Studies curriculums at all levels of education: elementary, middle, and high schools. It is time that all Compton students have access to Ethnic Studies courses that, not only, make their K-12 education culturally relevant and embraces their lived experiences of being a part of a diversely rich community, but, also, motivates young people to connect in meaningful ways that lead to self-actualization.

    Several neighboring school districts and throughout the state are actively implementing Ethnic Studies programs into their high school curriculum, including the largest district in the state of California, Los Angeles Unified School District. Compton has the opportunity to be at the forefront of this state-wide educational movement and join districts such as El Rancho Unified, Montebello Unified, San Francisco Unified, Sacramento Unified, San Diego Unified, Coachella Valley Unified, among many more.

    Upon the passage of this resolution, we support the effort to establish a mandatory Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee that would aid in the development and implementation of this curriculum.

    We demand that this committee to be a representative body that is inclusive of all stakeholders: parents, students, residents, teachers, workers- regardless of legal status, language, sexuality and/or any other identities that could or may be seen as a barrier for participation.

    At the end of it all, this initiative is about self-love and dismantling the legacy of white supremacy that continues to perpetuate violence against ourselves, each other, and our community. We believe that when students begin to think critically about their own race, gender, ethnicity and location- students will be empowered to become agents of social justice.

    By transforming our education, we are transforming our lives, and in effect transforming our city.

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  • commented on Research 2017-08-22 01:10:52 -0700
  • posted about San Diego USD on Facebook 2015-05-20 02:12:28 -0700
    Sign the petition: San Diego USD - Ethnic Studies Petition

    San Diego USD - Ethnic Studies Petition

    704 signatures

    Petition to Support Ethnic Studies in SDUSD 

    We, the undersigned, support the effort to establish a mandatory Ethnic Studies course as a  graduation requirement in all high-schools in the San Diego Unified School District, as well as  an Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee (ESAC) that will aide in the development and  implementation of this curriculum. 

    San Diego is a world-class city that boasts over one hundred spoken languages and a great  variety of ethnicities and cultures. Despite this diversity, at the moment there is just 1 Ethnic  Studies course offered to the 100,000+ students throughout SDUSD. As over 75% of the  students are people of color, it is imperative that the district offer courses that examine and  honor the rich histories and lived experiences of our many youth. 

    In solidarity with California’s push to create a more equal school system, we support AB 101  that will resolve to make ethnic studies courses available to every student. Research has  shown that students who have had access to Ethnic Studies courses do better in school and are  more likely to go to college. It is important to have courses that speak to students who may  feel invisible and marginalized, to inspire and motivate them in their education, so that they  learn their own history, engage actively in their own learning, and connect in meaningful ways  to the larger community. By providing Ethnic Studies courses in SDUSD, we are creating and  expanding a world-class school system rooted in the unique perspectives of students in the  San Diego community. 

    The Ethnic Studies Now Coalition

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  • commented on AB 101 passes CA Assembly Education Committee 2015-03-27 14:47:20 -0700
    Orale!!!!! Thanks for (beginning to) lifting the veil choking RAZA STUDENTS and STUDENTS OF COLOR! I wish Santa Monica-Malibu school district could see this.. they don’t want no Raza Studies Now, No Black or Brown (native) educator curriculum, no MAS or XITO from Tucson consultants … they want a fictive “we-are-the-world Ethnic Studies” that doesn’t exist (cuz even Ethnic Studies movements were originally Black, Red, Brown, Asian American Student movements that CAME TOGETHER: there was NEVER a single/singular “Ethnic Studies” at the beginning), LET’S ALL LEARN THE TRUEETHNIC STUDIESHISTORY… meanwhile the Ethnic Studies class in Santa Monica is kept in a Senior electives corner with almost NO black and brown boys enrolled … DON’T FOLLOW THE SANTA MONICA-MALIBU MISTAKES … they NEGLECT us NATIVE /XICAN@ EDUCATORS proudly, wearing their FAKECLOAK OF INCLUSION” … ! Here’s to a better, AUTHENTIC Ethnic Studies IN GOOD FAITH (using Cesar Chavez’ concept), THAT INCLUDES Chican@ Studies, Black/Africana Studies, Asian American Studies, and Native American Studies!
  • commented on Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District 2015-02-03 13:20:59 -0800
    Thanks for posting this. For the record, this proposal was the result of pressure from the INTERCULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE on which I served as the first elected co-chair, then as part of the Curriculum sub-committee… We proposed the development of an ETHNIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT (in order to provide Ethnic Studies at ALL LEVELS) and this would entail investments (TIME AND MONEY) and WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY which the District people DID NOT WANT TO DO… which is why they created ONE class for seniors and threw our proposal in to the trash and NEVER MET WITH ANY OF US (even though we repeatedly asked to meet about the proposal). Most of the students at Olympic high school are Latino boys, the majority students of color, and most are there for academic reasons, which is why teaching one class at the senior level DOES NOT address the real education issues of Brown and Black youth. SMMUSD, although a pioneer in local Ethnic Studies, is also a TERRIBLE EXAMPLE OF SCHOOLS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY. SMMUSD seems primarily concerned with serving the needs of the North of Montana and wealthy and white students and catering to their parents. The struggle continues …
  • commented on Montebello USD 2015-02-03 12:59:37 -0800
    Right on Montebello! The time is right …
  • commented on VIDEO: San Francisco Ethnic Studies Summit 2015-01-13 02:33:17 -0800
    epic weekend for Xican@ Studies, Ethnic Studies, decolonizing education … felt like it was something like our era’s 1969 Denver Youth Conference ….
  • commented on TOOL KIT 2014-12-15 13:16:07 -0800
    The VIDEO student testimony at the historic LAUSD board meeting is POWERFUL beyond words, the African American young woman and Xican@ young man eloquently and profoundly talking about their transformative experiences taking Ethnic Studies is a gem of history. Consider including in resources above, posting it as social media with which to educate and communicate with young people.
  • commented on Student's perspective on Ethnic Studies 2014-12-14 19:21:46 -0800
    Great reflection. It’s important to hear the student perspective, especially the student of color. Administrators often do not act without pressure. Students of color most often do not have the wealth and influence to influence administrators, but we have NUMBERS, and we must exercise those numbers… I share your enthusiasm Tatei… Ethnic Studies Now!
  • signed sign the Petition 2014-09-20 16:12:15 -0700

    sign the Petition

    *update* we reached 250 signatures on Sept 17; 500 on Sept 29; 750 on Sept 30; 1000 on Oct 2; 1500 on Oct 18. Our current goal is 2500 signatures.

    2,422 signatures

    ETHNIC STUDIES NOW!

    We, the undersigned, support the effort to make the successful completion of an A-G approved Ethnic Studies course a high school graduation requirement in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

    According to the data from the California Department of Education, LAUSD only offers 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 are taking 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. 

    It is time that all LAUSD students have access to Ethnic Studies courses -- courses that speak to students who have felt invisible and marginalized, to inspire and motivate them in their education, so that they learn their own history, engage actively in their own learning, and connect in meaningful ways to the larger community. Research has shown that a well-developed and well-thought-out Ethnic Studies curriculum has positive academic outcomes for students.

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  • commented on Dr. Sleeter's Letter of Support 2014-09-16 13:07:33 -0700
    Excellent Letter. I remember Dr. Sleeter’s excellent talks at the former MAS Department’s Summer Educational Transformation Conferences. Her article on Ethnic Studies engagement and outcomes is critical evidence that LAUSD (90% Students of Color) and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District NEED to look at before they make decisions that will impact the thousands and thousands of students and their futures.

    Ethnic & Raza Studies Now !
Nov 17: Mexican Revolution in Santa Monica, PYFC Nov 20: Chicano Secret Service at UCSD, 7pm
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