STOCKTON, Calif. — An agenda item up for a vote at the Stockton Unified School District's (SUSD) Tuesday board meeting has come under criticism from community activists who say the district is attempting to kill their ethnic studies Program.
The agenda item proposes eliminating the special assignment position for SUSD's ethnic studies program, a Native American specialist role and an administrative Child Welfare and Attendance position.
The ethnic studies program's special assignment position was created in June of 2020, approved by the district's former interim superintendent and passed unanimously by the school district's Board of Trustees at the time.
Board documents show that the position's approved responsibilities included providing leadership in the review and rollout of ethnic studies programs, curriculum and staff development. The description of the job did not indicate that the position would be short-term.
"The District's stance is that Ethnic Studies should be embedded into our curricular framework, and our teacher on special assignment has accomplished this goal," SUSD officials said about the position in a statement. "With this approach, SUSD has increased the number of Ethnic Studies throughout the district."
The school district says the teacher on assignment has completed the position's goal of creating an ethnic studies curriculum.
If the agenda item is approved, the teacher on assignment would return to his previous teaching position, according to school district officials who add that the district needs to, "ensure teachers are in the classroom when school opens next year."
Critics of the proposal took to social media to express opposition alleging that the move is an attempt to kill the district's ethnic studies program.
After seeing the board agenda item, David Sengthay, a student enrolled in Stockton Unified posted to Twitter expressing disapproval for the proposal and calling on others to take action.
"Losing this position would also absolve the leadership that comes with it," Sengthay said. "It's been pretty pivotal to the growth and success of ethnic studies the past two years."
Sengthay, a senior at Stockton Early College Academy, created an online campaign allowing members of the public to send an email to the school district's superintendent and board members voicing opposition.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign has resulted in 385 emails going out to school district officials, Sengthay says.
If the position is eliminated, Sengthay fears that ethnic studies curriculum would vary between different schools and not be standardized throughout the district.
Sengthay also takes issue with what he and others describe as a lack of transparency from the district regarding the reason for the elimination of the position and asks trustees to move the item from an action item to a discussion item.
"We want to at least demonstrate to our board trustees that we care about ethnic studies," Sengthay said. "If we are going to terminate this position, we want to know why."
The board meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be held virtually. Those interested in attending or speaking at the meeting can attend via Zoom.
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