In recent years, we’ve witnessed parents and community members protest on school grounds against LGBTQ book readings, Black Lives Matter, and history lessons on U.S. Slavery.
Another topic that sparked heated debates at school meetings and between politicians across the country is the inclusion of Ethnic Studies in school curricula.
Those in favor of providing a deeper understanding of society, different cultures, backgrounds, struggles, and social movements argue that Ethnic Studies is essential for young people to learn to develop an understanding of the world around them. Meanwhile, others are troubled about the likelihood of biases and ideological perspectives being inserted into these courses.
While these different political struggles take place, some educators do find themselves entangled in legal battles as they face life-changing lawsuits over their role in writing and teaching ethnic studies, specifically lessons that include Arab and Palestinian Studies—in which people are calling them “anti-Semitic” and “anti-Jewish.”