A recent Canyon Crest Academy article in the school newspaper announcing that the school would soon offer an ethnic studies class sparked some confusion and alarm.
The article’s headline reads “Ethnic Studies” and states that the course was just approved for the 2024-2025 school year at CCA, one of four high schools in the San Dieguito Union High School District.
“In more precise terminology,” reads the article, “the class is referred to as Ethnic Literature,” to be offered as an English Department class taught by CCA teacher Milan Perisic.
The article states that the class will delve into diverse narratives, “including, but not limited to, Asian-American, African-American, Latino, Indigenous, Muslim, and Jewish-American.”
Bryan Marcus, SDUHSD’s Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, said the article was “factually inaccurate.”
He said ethnic literature and ethnic studies are “totally separate courses” and the ethnic literature class is not an approved ethnic studies class. It’s an elective, he said, and does not meet graduation requirements.
“CCA put it out there, saying they had a teacher interested in teaching it, but I’m not sure it will run and we probably won’t know until closer to the summer,” Marcus said, explaining that, as with other courses, it would need a minimum number of students to sign up.
Some history
At the district’s April 20, 2023 board meeting, five pilot classes, one of which was ethnic literature, were approved by the school board. The vote was 4-1 with trustee Phan Anderson opposed.
She said it was premature to adopt the ethnic literature class without more transparency on what is taught.
“I believe in ethnic studies,” Anderson said at the meeting, “in teaching our kids to inspire, to celebrate ethnic achievement. [But] I’m not comfortable adopting something that I don’t have enough information on.”
A pilot course is developed when there is sufficient interest from students and a teacher willing to teach it. After two years, with board approval, a pilot class can then become a regular course of study.
Marcus said CCA was the only school to express interest in this class.
The ethnic literature class was taught at San Dieguito Academy, with 20 students enrolled in the 2021-2022 school year and 32 students in the 2022-2023 school year.
Despite fervent from two student board at the April 2023 board meeting who said it was a “super popular class” and that enthusiasm around the course “is unparalleled,” the class did not run this year, in 2023-2024, due to lack of interest, Marcus said.
The course description of the pilot provided at the April 2023 board meeting stated that students “will deepen their understanding of self and others through exploring their own histories, identities and those of marginalized groups” and “will promote cultural understanding and empathy through analysis of systems in the U.S.”
The description says the class will focus on “the experiences of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Chicanx and Latinx people, Native Americans, and other ‘racialized’ [my quotes] peoples in the U.S. such as Jewish-Americans and Muslim-Americans.”
Although he eventually voted to approve the course, trustee Michael Allman also requested more detail and asked Marcus for the syllabus of the course that was taught.
Marcus demurred, saying the district is continuing to develop the class.
Allman again asked for a list of books, podcasts, short stories and other materials used in the class. “Is that public information?” he asked.
“It depends on how it’s requested,” Marcus answered.
“I’d like to see what is being taught in the class,” Allman said. “Please don’t make a board member submit a public records request.”
“I’m not asking you to submit a public records request,” Marcus replied.
Marcus said the teacher shares the syllabus with the students enrolled in the class, and their parents, and it can change from year to year. Teachers can teach a class in many different ways, so the syllabus is individualized for each class, he said.
Marcus acknowledged that students did take the pilot class for two years at SDA. What syllabus was used is unclear. The class was offered to students in all four grades, ninth through 12th.
An ethnic literature syllabus the district posted online focuses on five units: race, ethnicity and identity; intersectionality; migration, policy and the American dream; power and society; and transformational resistance.
Each unit listed seven to 10 readings, articles, podcasts, films, videos, talks, papers, poetry and other instructional materials.
One short video titled “This is America” by Donald McKinley Glover, Jr. (whose stage name is Childish Gambino) was listed as one of the resources and came to the attention of Allman from a parent who objected to the content. Readers are encouraged to check it out on YouTube.
Controversial material
SDUHSD school sites may pilot a new program but it must be approved by the school principal and the associate supt. of educational services before implementation.
Once evaluated and approved, the teacher can develop the details of the class, including a syllabus that includes instructional materials.
For the adoption of appropriate instructional materials, a number of criteria is used, according to a district presentation. Among them are –
— Provide objective presentation of diverse viewpoints
— Do not reflect adversely upon persons because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, occupation, or other characteristics listed in Education Code 220, nor contain any sectarian or denominational doctrine or propaganda
— Contribute to comprehensive, balanced curriculum
— Align with state standards
About the Childish Gambino video, Marcus said, “I was just alerted to that, so I am looking into that a bit more.
“That is one area we are continually improving on, especially video and film that may be for a more mature audience.”
He said the district wants to make sure “the community, internally and externally, understands what this course is intended to offer and what are the instructional materials.”
A course scope is available and offers more of an overview of the course, like a hybrid, Marcus said. It goes beyond the course title and description but is not as specific as the course syllabus.
It’s similar to a district catalog and describes the course, how it relates to state standards, and the textbooks, supplemental books, videos and other instructional material that will be used, he said.
The district has posted steps to take for curriculum questions. First the teacher, then the school s, and finally the district’s department of educational services if answers are unsatisfactory.
Into the weeds
There is danger when board get into the weeds and begin encroaching on teacher territory and micro-managing, by requesting to review a teacher’s syllabus.
Trustees should let staff do their work … to some extent.
But if teachers are inclined to politicize one point of view over another, or include questionable or potentially offensive material on a subject already fraught with controversy, a hands-off position can appear to endorse objectionable content and reflect negatively on the school board and the district.
By asking for more transparency on instructional materials for this ethnic literature class, Phan Anderson was on the right track with her veto vote.
Opinion columnist and education writer Marsha Sutton can be reached at [email protected].
Marsha Sutton is a columnist and presents her opinion. If you disagree or agree with her opinion, we’d like to hear from you. Email your comment to editor@delmartimes.net.
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