While the ELA and Social Studies curriculum currently state that they are “committed to creating an anti-racist curriculum”, in my experience as a scholar at CSUS that isn’t completely true.

We learn about some important historical events and movements- usually related to civil rights in the 60s- there are still many important movements that have been completely forgotten by the school. Asian, Queer, Female, Disabled, Indigenous, and Hispanic students have had their history completely ignored, and because of this discriminatory language and actions are persisting among students.

At CSUS we have an issue of constant microaggressions against anyone in the other- mocking accents, making misogynistic comments, transphobic and homophobic jokes- and I think that if the school payed more attention and taught more diverse history this problem might become a bit less prominent.

CPSD does a better job of teaching an inclusive version of history than most schools, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still space for improvement.

Improvements to make:

• Make a point to teach about queer history during pride month (june), AAPI history during AAPI heritage month (may), disability awareness month (october), and Autistic Awareness month (april).
• Important topics to teach:
  • gender theory
  • the workers rights movement
  • the suffragette movement or 70s feminism
  • Japanese internment camps
  • the chinese exclusion act
  • vietnam and korean wars
  • old asian civilizations
  • The Stonewall Uprising
  • the trail of tears
  • residential schools

Using these suggested improvements, I hope that you listen to the voices of your students and make a change before the next school year.