Spring 2021
Committee:
LAC/EXEC/RAC
WHEREAS, in August of 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into effect AB 1460 (Weber, 2020) [1], an ethnic studies bill specifically geared towards the California State University system while rejecting AB 331 (Medina, 2020) [2], an ethnic studies bill where ethnic studies would have been implemented into the high school-level curriculum;
WHEREAS, according to the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, ethnic studies is defined as “an interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups—Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o Americans—offered through various disciplines including ethnic studies, chicana and chicano studies, Latina and Latino studies, African-American studies, Black studies, Asian-American studies, Native-American studies, Africana studies, Mexican-American studies, indigenous studies, Filipino studies, La Raza studies, and Central American studies” [3];
WHEREAS, within the state of California, ethnic minority populations account for more than 71% of the student population, there are over 90 languages spoken in high school districts, and the state’s annual diversity rate continues to increase in a variety of racial and ethnic groups [4]; and
WHEREAS, the passing of AB 331 (Medina, 2020) would have made ethnic studies a requirement for high school graduation beginning in the school year 2023-2024, thus providing students a learning environment that promotes diversity education about their cultural identity and historical roots, and closing the achievement gap by reducing student truancy and improve student enrollment, and better prepare them for a future within the workforce [2]; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for AB 331 (Medina, 2020) to be reintroduced;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges call on the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to work with both their California State University and University of California colleagues to require ethinic studies be one of the IGETC requirements; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges further work with local academic senates to pursue ethnic studies.
Citation 1: Bill Text - AB-1460 California State University: Graduation Requirement: Ethnic Studies., https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1460
Citation 2: Bill Text - AB-331 Pupil Instruction: High School Graduation Requirements: Ethnic Studies., http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB331
Citation 3: “Clarify and Strengthen the Ethnic Studies General Education Requirement.” ASCCC, 2020, https://asccc.org/resolutions/clarify-and-strengthen-ethnic-studies-general-education-requirement
WHEREAS, according to the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, ethnic studies is defined as “an interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups—Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o Americans—offered through various disciplines including ethnic studies, chicana and chicano studies, Latina and Latino studies, African-American studies, Black studies, Asian-American studies, Native-American studies, Africana studies, Mexican-American studies, indigenous studies, Filipino studies, La Raza studies, and Central American studies” [3];
WHEREAS, within the state of California, ethnic minority populations account for more than 71% of the student population, there are over 90 languages spoken in high school districts, and the state’s annual diversity rate continues to increase in a variety of racial and ethnic groups [4]; and
WHEREAS, the passing of AB 331 (Medina, 2020) would have made ethnic studies a requirement for high school graduation beginning in the school year 2023-2024, thus providing students a learning environment that promotes diversity education about their cultural identity and historical roots, and closing the achievement gap by reducing student truancy and improve student enrollment, and better prepare them for a future within the workforce [2]; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for AB 331 (Medina, 2020) to be reintroduced;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges call on the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to work with both their California State University and University of California colleagues to require ethinic studies be one of the IGETC requirements; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges further work with local academic senates to pursue ethnic studies.
Citation 1: Bill Text - AB-1460 California State University: Graduation Requirement: Ethnic Studies., https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1460
Citation 2: Bill Text - AB-331 Pupil Instruction: High School Graduation Requirements: Ethnic Studies., http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB331
Citation 3: “Clarify and Strengthen the Ethnic Studies General Education Requirement.” ASCCC, 2020, https://asccc.org/resolutions/clarify-and-strengthen-ethnic-studies-general-education-requirement