Proponents say ethnic studies is a framework that allows participants to share their perspectives, achievements, traditions and experiences. It’s designed to help eradicate fear, structural racism and social inequities by promoting knowledge and understanding.
Executive Director Randy Spaulding described the resolution’s adoption as the beginning of a lengthy process to create an ethnic studies policy. “The Board is walking the walk here,” he said, and it will do “the same training that we’re asking the educators to do.”
The Board has tasked itself with drafting the new ethnic studies graduation requirement to fit within the existing credit framework by December.
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Washington ethnic studies graduation requirement gains support from Board of Education By Jenn Smith, The Seattle Times
Published: March 16, 2021, 7:48am
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OLYMPIA – The Washington State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to adopt a resolution to establish a statewide ethnic studies graduation requirement.
Proponents say ethnic studies teaches more than just history and racial justice. It’s a framework that allows participants from multiple cultures to share their perspectives, achievements, traditions and experiences. It is designed to help eradicate fear, structural racism and social inequities by promoting knowledge and understanding.
Resolutions are nonbinding agreements that move the Board toward adopting a policy, and this one does not detail when an ethnic studies graduation requirement would go into effect. But it has some teeth: As part of the resolution, Board representatives and staff members will take ethnic studies and anti-racist