EdSource

A school board meeting in Palo Alto Unified offers a peek into an argument brewing in some school districts statewide over whether ethnic studies should be a requirement for all high school students, and what the course should — or shouldn’t — teach.

Students say the courses opened their eyes to inequities in their own communities and taught them history about African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans that they hadn't learned in other classes.

Some parents and school board members in the community argue that courses in some districts take a one-sided view that stresses white supremacy, colonialism and capitalism are the obstacles to racial justice.

Guest:

• John Fensterwald, Editor-at-large, EdSource

This episode also includes voices from students, parents, teachers and school board members, from a school board meeting held on Jan. 23, 2025.

Read more from EdSource:

• Anatomy of a divided California school board’s vote on ethnic studies



• The clock is ticking, ethnic studies remains an unfunded mandate; what will Newsom do?



• Conflict over race, LGBTQ issues cost schools more than $3 billion last school year

Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.