High schools all over the United States are leaving out a large chunk of American history. American teenagers learn about a history that is Euro-centric and often don’t learn about the rich histories of other racial and ethnic groups. In California, 70 per cent of high schoolers are students of color. Yet only one in 15 schools offers ethnic studies curricula. In fact, most high school students in the US will not see an ethnic studies class, despite evidence that kids, especially kids of color, benefit greatly from learning diverse histories.
Ethnic studies is a controversial topic in high schools. The Texas board of Education recently voted to develop ethnic studies textbooks, but didn’t require schools to use them. And Arizona passed a law banning Mexican-American studies, but that case is being appealed in Federal Court.
Reporter Valerie Hamilton went to Animo South Los Angeles High School where ethnic studies is a required course, just like math and English.
Photo courtesy of reporter.
Alex M. Saragoza is a professor of Chicano/Latino Studies at University of California, Berkeley’s Ethnic Studies Department. His research involves the racialization and inequity in Latin America, especially in Mexico and Cuba, and their intersections with immigration to the USA. He holds a PhD in Latin American History from the University of California, San Diego.
