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@JoseDelBarrio tweeted link to Coachella Valley USD. 2015-08-30 21:43:06 -0700Sign & share the petition to bring Ethnic Studies to Coachella Valley USD http://www.ethnicstudiesnow.com/coachella?recruiter_id=23552
Coachella Valley USD
UPDATE: VICTORY!!! ON NOVEMBER 10, 2015 COACHELLA VALLEY USD VOTED 7:0 TO MAKE ETHNIC STUDIES A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT!
Dear School Board Representative, We urge you to support the implementation of Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement at the Coachella Valley Unified School District. As elected officials, you can help maintain our district’s vision by ensuring that our students are prepared to graduate, and attend college, as critical thinkers, with an understanding of various cultural and social issues. The implementation of Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement benefits our students and our school district.
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Jose del Barrio posted about San Diego USD on Facebook 2015-05-02 22:42:50 -0700Sign the petition: San Diego USD - Ethnic Studies Petition
San Diego USD - Ethnic Studies Petition
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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Ethnic Studies Now Petition (SCUSD)
Why Ethnic Studies?
We, the undersigned, support the effort to construct and implement an ethnic studies class as a high school graduation requirement in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Sacramento, CA is the 2nd most ethnically diverse city in the United States (US Census Bureau, 2015). Our school district is a beautiful mirror of our population; our students are 37% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 18% African American, 19% white, and 5.3% of students are two or more ethnicities. In our district, residents speak over 44 languages and 38% do not speak English at home (SCUSD, 2015).
We need a high school curriculum that reflects the diversity of all students. Despite our numbers, only 1 out of 13 high schools within our district offers ethnic studies. Because over 80% of our school district populations are students of color, we need to offer a course that includes and investigates these rich histories and lived experiences.
By having an ethnic studies course, our hope is that all students will learn to respect, accept, and love themselves. We want all students to think critically about the importance of their race, ethnicity, location, and identity as it exists in history and in the present. We believe that ethnic studies courses can offer important narratives that are missing from the euro-centric lens that history is often shown through. We want to empower our students to learn more about themselves and their communities, build empathy and unity with other ethnic groups, and push for social justice.
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@JoseDelBarrio tweeted link to AB 101 (Alejo bill) PETITION. 2015-02-02 07:46:37 -0800Sign the petition: Petition in support of AB 101 http://www.ethnicstudiesnow.com/ab101petition?recruiter_id=23552
Petition in support of AB 101
I support AB 101 (Alejo) which would require school districts to provide students with a statewide, approved A-G, ethnic studies curriculum.
California has one of the largest and most diverse student populations in the nation. Ethnic minorities account for over 71 percent of the student population, with more than 90 languages spoken in District schools.
Given California’s annual increase in diversity, it is especially important that students build knowledge of the various racial and ethnic groups in our state. Incorporating ethnic studies courses into standard high school curriculum is a means to accomplish this. In doing so, students gain an encompassed outlook on other cultures while learning respect and tolerance. Additionally, it provides students with the opportunity to learn about their respective culture in the context of California’s history.
Developing ethnic studies programs in public high schools is an integral part of cultivating a classroom environment that is accepting of diverse cultures. It is vital for young people to learn about their history, but also important for them to feel like they can change their communities in positive ways. This bill will help close the achievement gap by reducing student truancy, increasing student enrollment, reduce drop-out rates, and better prepare Californian youth to be college prepared and career ready.
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Jose del Barrio commented on Mr. Buck Wong (ret'd LAUSD teacher) 2014-10-09 19:21:23 -0700This is an amazing letter! Mr. Wong’s years of experience working with students in is a testament to the benefits of Ethnic Studies. Well done Mr. Wong. Well done.
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Ethnic Studies by the numbers in LAUSD
Some facts about Ethnic Studies in LAUSD:
80 is the number of African American students enrolled in Ethnic studies in LAUSD last year.
11 are the number of High Schools in LAUSD that offer at least one class of ethnic studies (not including charter or continuation schools)
691 out of over 150,000 high school students, representing .5% (less than 1%) of students took an ethnic studies course in LAUSD.
5,666 is the number of students enrolled in Military Science Courses
LAUSD is over 90% students of color.
Please support bringing Ethnic Studies as a High School Graduation Requirement in LAUSD.
Sign petition. Visit website. Get involved.
Jose del Barrio
NEA Social Justice Teacher of the year. Board Member ERUSD. Ethnic Studies/Immigration/SoJustEdu History Teacher. All Tweets are my own.