FAIR News: Standing Against Divisive Education
FAIR News: Standing Against Divisive Education
Newsletter
Dear Friends of FAIR:
This week, FAIR sent a letter to the University of California’s (UC) Academic Council members urging them to reject a proposal to add an ethnic studies prerequisite to UC admissions standards. The proposal under consideration, if accepted, will effectively require high schools to offer a “liberated” or “liberatory” ethnic studies course comprised of divisive and radical ideas that pressure students to become activists to foment a political revolution. Since high schools across the country—both public and private—want their students to be accepted to the UC system, this issue is not only of concern to Californians.
Our letter reflects FAIR’s general position on mandating “liberated” or “liberatory” ethnic studies courses in K-12 education—in summary, it’s a “no” from FAIR.
Our letter echoes FAIR’s stance against mandated “liberated” ethnic studies in K-12 education. Our reasoning is grounded in our founding principles: insisting on common humanity, rejecting race essentialism, and upholding equality under the law. We champion Martin Luther King Jr.'s principle of judging individuals by character, not skin color.
You might be wondering why these principles contradict “liberated” ethnic studies. To most, the idea of students learning about individuals from different ethnicities and backgrounds sounds virtuous and helpful. Let us be clear: that is not what “liberated” ethnic studies teaches. Liberated ethnic studies require that students understand the existence of certain ethnic groups, who fits within them, and also that certain ethnic groups enjoy an oppressor status while others are oppressed. Neither FAIR’s founding principles nor the civil rights laws of our country allow this to be required for the teaching of public school students.
The fact that “ethnic studies” sounds like a nice topic for students to learn is only one angle we have contended with since FAIR’s inception. Another is a popular research study that educators across the country have widely referenced in arguing that K-12 education should be reformed to include ethnic studies. What the Research Says About Ethnic Studies, by Christin Sleeter and Miguel Zavala, claims that ethnic studies improves students’ academic engagement, self-efficacy, personal empowerment, academic performance, graduation rates, and cross-cultural understanding. At first glance, it’s easy to understand why a finding like this should be used to promote the mandatory teaching of ethnic studies. However, a close analysis of Sleeter and Zavala’s study uncovers the myriad of problems involved in it and why teachers, families, administrators, and school board members must evaluate research claims to make informed decisions about proposed changes to curriculum and instruction.
FAIR’s analysis of Sleeter and Zavala’s study found that their claims are not well supported, and that in some cases, studies are being cited as evidence in ways the primary researchers explicitly cautioned against. FAIR also identified conflicts of interest that could compromise Sleeter’s and Zavala’s performance of an unbiased review. In addition to these concerns, FAIR’s analysis found that many of the programs and curricula featured in the studies reviewed by Sleeter and Zavala were premised on the notion that students should be taught separately and differently based on race and/or ethnicity—an idea which is contradicted by a robust body of developmental and cognitive learning theories and which is inadequate for a multiethnic, multiracial democracy.
We are happy to share this extraordinary resource with you today and encourage you to share it widely. Join us in advocating for an education system that truly promotes unity and equality, rejecting divisive ideologies that seek to segregate our youth. Together, we can ensure that our educational standards reflect our shared values of fairness, justice, and common humanity.
Warmly,
The Team at FAIR
FAIR’s Teaching About Identity: Lessons From Around the World series is an exploration of the question: What can we learn from history about how school environments have impacted racially, ethnically, or politically divided societies?
Using as case studies 1930s Germany, 1960s China, and 1980s-90s Rwanda, the series does a deep dive into education in times and places where identity has been a divisive factor, and provides information to help the reader draw insights for building unity in classrooms today.
The Rwanda installment of the series was done as a live event, to great acclaim. The installments on 1960s China and 1930s Germany are available as PDFs. Check out the latest installment about 1930s Germany below!
Understanding Your Antidepressant Prescription: What You Need to Know about Informed Consent
On Thursday August 8th from 8:30pm-10pm ET, FAIR In Medicine will welcome clinical psychologist Roger McFillin to discuss diagnosing depression and informed consent for SSRIs and SNRIs.
29% of Americans are concerned about prescription medications' potential side effects. If you don’t understand the risks, benefits, and alternative treatments of your medications, then you are not Informed and should not Consent.
Informed Consent in Pregnancy
The drug Makena was prescribed to pregnant women without evidence that it worked. Maternal Fetal Medicine physician, Dr. Adam Urato fought to get that medication removed from the market. FAIR In Medicine is thrilled to welcome Dr. Urato to discuss the Makena story and informed consent in pregnancy. Join us on Thursday, August 15th from 8:30-10pm ET for this important discussion.
FAIR News Podcast
For audio versions of our FAIR News and FAIR Weekly Roundup newsletters, subscribe and listen to FAIR News Weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or via RSS feed.
FAIR Educators Alliance & Other Networks
Connect with other pro-human educators through the FAIR Educators Alliance. We bring together educators from all levels to share experiences and work on developing resources that can support teachers, community members, and FAIR chapters.
Teachers, administrators, librarians, and educators of all kinds are welcome. For more information and to join any of these networks, please email educators@fairforall.org.
Join the FAIR Community
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Become a FAIR volunteer, or join a FAIR chapter.
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