Sacramento Chicano History

Making Chicano History Visible

https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/making-chicano-life-visible/?emc=edit_ca_20170915&nl=california-today&nlid=20367268&te=1&_r=0

An exhibit and slide show.  14 Excellent photos. Click on the link. 

We Won ! Chicano History Will be in the California Textbooks in 2017

Cesar Chavez & Duane Campbell -1972

By Duane Campbell

History and social science textbooks in public schools in California and most of the nation are racist, class-biased, and ignore LGBT history. This condition will change in California in 2017 when new textbooks are adopted.

It is over. We won !

 At 2:45 PM July 14, 2016,  the California State Board of Education unanimously endorsed a new History /Social Science Framework for California’s public schools that includes a substantial addition of Chicano/Latino history, improved history of LGBT people, and improvements in several other histories.

This completes a 6 year effort against substantial opposition to revise the Framework.  As a result textbooks in California in 2017 will be the most inclusive ever required, and all students will be taught an inclusive history. This has been the major campaign of this blog and the Mexican American Digital History project since 2009. 

Under this decision California students will finally be encouraged to know the history of Latino civil rights leaders like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and Filipino labor leaders like Larry Itliong, as well as an accurate and inclusive history of LGBT activists  as a part of the history of California and the nation. These topics are currently substantially absent from public school textbooks and curricula in California.

The Quality Instructional Materials Committee of the  California State Board of Education decided to include these long- ignored histories in their re-writing of the History/Social Science Framework for the state.  The Framework  document sets the parameters and the minimums required of textbooks used  in the schools.  Because of California’s large size and market, what goes into California textbooks  frequently also gets written into textbooks around the nation.

We Win an Important Victory for Chicano Students !!!

Cesar Chavez, Duane Campbell
Sacramento, 1972.

On Thursday  May 19, the  Quality Instructional Materials  committee of the California Board of Education made  a decision to include the history of Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta,  Larry Itliong, and numerous other Chicano leaders and labor leaders  in the textbooks for all children in California. 

http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2016/05/california-to-re-write-history-books.html

Because of California’s large size and market, what goes into California textbooks also goes into textbooks around the nation.

Many have participated in this effort.  In the last decade It has been a primary effort working with Chicano scholars through the Mexican American Digital History project.   We achieved the change by overcoming the inertia and by working on the California commissions and specific legislators. 

Chicano History in the California State Textbooks

By Duane Campbell

The Mexican American Digital History Project and a broad group of allies have been working for over a year to add Chicano history to the California History/Social Science Framework, the document that determines what goes into textbooks in California. 

For  example see here. http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2015/04/teachers-we-need-your-letters-on.html  and numerous posts on this site. 

 The Quality Instructional Materials Commission of the California State Board of Education have posted their proposed revised framework and it includes most of what we proposed.  

Comments from teachers and community members are welcome. 

The IQC approved the draft History–Social Science Framework for California Public Schools for its second review on November 20, 2015. The approved draft is posted on the History–Social Science Curriculum Frameworks Web page at 

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/hssfw2ndreview.asp.

Going forward, any new public comments will be submitted as part of the second review process. 

Members of the public are invited to submit comments on the draft History–Social Science Framework through February 29, 2016, via e-mail to HSSframework@cde.ca.gov. Comments may be submitted in any format, but if a commenter is seeking revisions to the draft it is recommended that the comment include the chapter, page, and line number(s), the text as it is currently written in the draft, and the exact language of the suggested change.

Chicano History in California Textbooks- Community Comment Welcome

By Duane Campbell

The Mexican American Digital History Project and a broad group of allies have been working for over a year to add Chicano history to the California History/Social Science Framework, the document that determines what goes into textbooks in California.

For  example see here. http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2015/04/teachers-we-need-your-letters-on.html  and numerous posts on this site. 

 The Quality Instructional Materials Commission of the California State Board of Education have posted their proposed revised framework and it includes most of what we proposed. 

Comments from teachers and community members is welcome.

The IQC approved the draft History–Social Science Framework for California Public Schools for its second review on November 20, 2015. The approved draft is posted on the History–Social Science Curriculum Frameworks Web page at

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/hssfw2ndreview.asp.

Going forward, any new public comments will be submitted as part of the second review process.

Members of the public are invited to submit comments on the draft History–Social Science Framework through February 29, 2016, via e-mail to HSSframework@cde.ca.gov. Comments may be submitted in any format, but if a commenter is seeking revisions to the draft it is recommended that the comment include the chapter, page, and line number(s), the text as it is currently written in the draft, and the exact language of the suggested change.

Chicano History and School Textbooks

By Duane Campbell

The Mexican American Digital History Project and a broad group of allies word  for over a year to add Chicano history to the California History/Social Science Framework, the document that determines what goes into textbooks in California.

For details see here. http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2015/04/teachers-we-need-your-letters-on.html

 Now, the Quality Instructional Materials Commission of the California State Board of Education have posted their proposed revised framework and it includes most of what we proposed. 

It is here.  http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/hsssmcmtgagenda102015b.asp

The actual proposed course descriptions  are listed as appendices to this meeting agenda.

You need to read the specific appendices for grades 9-12.

Breakthrough on California History/Social Science Textbooks

by Duane Campbell

The Mexican American Digital History Project ( sponsors of this blog) and a broad group of allies have been working for over a year to add Chicano history to the California History/Social Science Framework, the document that determines what goes into textbooks in California.

For details see here. http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2015/04/teachers-we-need-your-letters-on.html

 We are pleased to inform you that the Quality Instructional Materials Commission of the California State Board of Education have posted their proposed revised framework and it includes most of what we wanted. 

It is here.  http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/hsssmcmtgagenda102015b.asp

You need to read the specific appendices for grades 9-12.

Hearings on the draft are being held today and Friday.   See the agenda link above for details.

Steps toward an inclusive history of California

The Chicano/Mexican American Digital History project has completed stage one of the effort to amend the History/Social Science Framework for California Public Schools  with the submission of over 35 letters from academics and community activists demanding that Mexican Americans be included in the history courses.

Mexican American/ Chicano history is substantially absent from public school textbooks and curriculum in California- and it has been since  1986.  Latino student political non participation  and disconnectedness is significantly caused by Latino absence from the K-12 textbooks and curriculum.  http://antiracismdsa.blogspot.com/2015/03/write-chicano-history-into-california.html

We thank all of those who have participated in this effort.  On May 8, 2015, the  Instructional Quality Commission (formerly the Curriculum Commission) will meet in Sacramento to adopt a change in their schedule.

The proposed new schedule would be:

Letters needed on Chicano/Mexican American History

Mañana is now !

We need your letters insisting on the expansion of Mexican American history.  The closing date is May 1, 2015.  Mañana is now.

We have a unique opportunity to change the history books in California  K-12 to include Chicano/Mexican American history- but we must act now. This is the time to get that letter written and e mailed  asking that Mexican American history be included in the re write of the History/Social Science Framework for California Schools.

Mexican American/ Chicano history is currently substantially absent from public school textbooks and curriculum in California- and it has been since 1986.  See the prior post below.  A guide to writing such a letter is here. https://sites.google.com/site/democracyandeducationorg/Home/latino-students-and-civic-engagement/project-plan---mexican-american-history.

The following letter from historian Dr. Lorena Marquez details some of the important Chicano history that is not covered in the framework and not covered in California history textbooks.

To the History/Social Science Framework Committee

Dear History Social Science Framework Committee,

I strongly urge you to revise the current draft of the History/Social Science Framework to include a more adequate recording of the history of California and the nation by including the significant contributions of ethnic Mexicans. Exclusion and omission of this history is a great disservice to the generations of Chicanas/os who have worked tirelessly to build this country. Latinos comprise nearly 39% of the state population and now constitute over 52% of the students in our schools. By hearing their histories in the larger rubric of United States history, they will feel validated, but most importantly, they will be empowered to make positive change in their communities.

 I recommend extension of the description of the Chicano movement to more adequately address this issue.  Recommended additions: Line 1959.  Page 348.

Working together to change the history books

Scholars, teachers, activists, join in our campaign to include Chicano history !

 Scholars, teachers, allies, activists have joined  in our campaign to improve the history textbooks in California by including the histories of  Mexican American/ Chicano people.  More than 52% of California students are descendants of Latino and Mexican people. Why can't they be found in the textbooks.
You are invited to participate. We need each of  you and your friends to write a letter.  Here is a guide. Here is how to write a letter and to send it. https://sites.google.com/site/democracyandeducationorg/Home/latino-students-and-civic-engagement/project-plan---mexican-american-history

This Spring we have a unique opportunity to change the history books in California  K-12 to include Chicano/Mexican American history- but we must act before May 1. This is the time to get that letter written and e mailed  asking that Mexican American history be included in the re write of the History/Social Science Framework for California Schools.

Mexican American/ Chicano history is currently substantially absent from public school textbooks and curriculum in California- and it has been since 1986.  Latino student political non participation and alienation from school is significantly caused by Latino absence from the K-12 textbooks and curriculum.

Now is a good time to get this done (a guide to writing such a letter is here )

 https://sites.google.com/site/democracyandeducationorg/Home/latino-students-and-civic-engagement/project-plan---mexican-american-history.

This effort  is not the same as the AB 101 campaign for Ethnic Studies where many have signed an on line petition.

Our  project  to change the  History Framework is described here. 

http://choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com/2015/04/teachers-we-need-your-letters-on.html

Tell the committee;  I strongly urge you to revise the current draft of the History Framework to include a more adequate recording of the history of California and the nation by including the significant contributions of Mexicans and Mexican Americans to this history.  You really  don’t have an accurate history without extending more information on this topic.  Latinos comprise nearly 39% of the state population, and descendants of Mexican Americans and Latinos now constitute over 52% of the students in the k-12 schools.

I have read the draft framework  and I propose the following additions:

On  page 351, Line 2014, amend this to include additional material on the 1960’s,

such as,

Sample letters are below.

Banned Mexican American Studies improved student achievement - Study

by Roque Planas

The Mexican-American Studies curriculum in Tucson public schools banned by the conservative-dominated Arizona legislature helped boost student achievement and offers a promising approach to bridge the achievement gap between Hispanic and white students, a new study says. 

The study, published in the December edition of the American Educational Research Journal, says that students who took the Mexican-American Studies courses when compared to Tucson students who didn’t take the courses. 

To test the effect of taking the defunct classes, the researchers used administrative data from the 2008 to 2011 school years to assess the relationship between taking the courses and high school graduation rates and performance on state standardized tests. 

Students who took the courses performed better on the state tests and graduated at a higher rate, the study found. 

“The estimated relationship between MAS participation and student educational attainment was surprisingly strong,” the study says. “These results corroborate findings that ethnic studies can lead to increased student development.” 

Another Opportunity Missed

By Duane Campbell, Democracy and Education Institute

www.democracyeducationinstitute.org

California education policy makers have once again written and published a nice looking report on school curriculum – this one on the need for improved civic education.  As is the norm for these tasks, a group of “well respected” civic leaders have participated.

They have written a report, Revitalizing K-12 Civic Learning in California, and they call it a Blue Print for Action. http://www.powerofdemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CLTF-Final-Report.pdf

They call for a major revision of civic education.  That is fine.

On Page 42 they call for discussion of their proposals on social media. Well, here is some discussion.

 They even recognize the diversity of California students.  They say,

“Civic learning is also vital for our increasingly diverse California society. In 2012-

2013, our 6.2 million K-12 students were 53 percent Latino, 26 percent white,

9 percent Asian and 6 percent African American, with the remaining 6 percent

comprised of other ethnicities. In addition, an increasing number of our students

are not native speakers of English. Almost 4 in 10 kindergarteners are English

language learners. This diversity, and the attention it requires, is now acknowledged

in our school funding model. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) recognizes

the necessity of investing in the reduction and ultimate removal of inequitable

outcomes in California public schools. Revitalizing civic learning opportunities, in

an equitable manner, can contribute to meeting these goals.”

While it is accurate that we have a general problem of civic engagement of the young,  it is also true that we have a very specific problem with the rate of Latino and Asian voter participation and  civic engagement.
 Rates of voting and voter registration provide a window into civic engagement.  The proportion of state voter  registration that is Latino and Asian has remained far below the proportions of these groups in the state’s overall population. In 2010, Latinos in the state made up 37.6% of the general population while they were on 21.2 % of the registered voters. The Asian population was 13.1 % of the state but  only 8.1 % of the registered voters.

The report, as is common, is well illustrated with compelling photos of very pleasant multi racial and multiethnic student faces.  They  even note  that the current History Social Science Framework and Standards are over 15 years out of date- a  reminder that the State Board of Education and the California Legislature should heed.