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Cristina Marquez signed AB 101 (Alejo bill) PETITION 2015-03-08 21:56:37 -0700Majoring in Ethnic Studies as an undergrad at UCSD helped me gain respect for myself and for others. I will never forget taking my first ethnic studies course and feeling like I had hit the jack pot by coming to college. Finally, I was taking a class that was relevant to my experiences as a first generation Chicana. I had no idea of the role that Latinos played in U.S history. I thought I was the first Latina ever to attend college. I also remember feeling that my high school friends had been robbed of their education. I felt they had been cheated and thought it was unfair that we had to wait to be adults and in college in order to learn about our history. I remember thinking what a difference it would have made in my friends’ lives had they taken Ethnic Studies. Majoring in Ethnic Studies increased my self-confidence & motivated me to stay in college and pursue graduate school at Columbia University where I majored in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Politics. I value “respect” and “tolerance” and believe that together we can accomplish great things in this nation. In order to do so, our youth need to see their stories reflected in history. Without Native Americans, Latinos, Blacks, Asians, etc, this nation would not be the great country it is. The time has arrived to reflect the diversity of our city and state. There is more to history than Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. I am confident that your school district will take the necessary steps to be part of this movement.
Thank you!
Best,
Cristina MarquezPetition in support of AB 101
Add signatureI 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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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.
Add signatureETHNIC 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.
