California Requires Ethnic Studies For University System

Speaker 1: 00:00 This week, the governor signed a new law that requires all students in the California state university system to take an ethnic studies course in order to graduate. The bill is the culmination of decades of work by its author, Shirley Webber, and is especially relevant in today's world of Kohl's to end systemic racism. Dr. Weber is one of San Diego's representatives in the state assembly, and she is chair of the California legislative black caucus. Thank you so much for joining us, dr. Weber. Speaker 2: 00:27 Well, thanks for having me here. I really appreciate it. Speaker 1: 00:29 So you actually taught Africana studies and ethnic studies discipline at San Diego state university for several decades. Is that right? Speaker 2: 00:37 Inspired this piece of legislation, you know, I I'm sure it did. I was not only just teaching me. I was actually, uh, the founder of the department and, um, and they're in its inception. So I came to really understand just how powerful it is when people learn about themselves. Uh, because I wasn't raised in an environment that taught me a lot about African American history, and I began to understand the power that it has to change people's lives. I've seen it in my students that only black students, white students, Latino students, they have, they have increased their appreciation for the culture of California and its world. And actually not better. I think better, uh, professionals as a result of having taken courses about other people. And, and that's what we want in California, a workforce and a population that is responsible and respective of the diversity of California, Speaker 1: 01:24 You know, give us a sense of what an ethnic studies course focuses on. Speaker 2: 01:27 Well, the ethnic studies force course focuses on that particular ethnic group. That's being studied rather than seeing them as an attendant to American history. They are American history and they are California's history. So we've focused on the fact that the four major groups, which are African Americans, Latinos, uh, Asian, Pacific Islanders and native Americans, other really the four major groups that really impact it and continue to impact California's history and the nation's history. Uh, each one of the departments has multiple courses that they could offer. And that's up to them to decide there'll be history, literature, sociology, music, uh, cultural courses that may even be blended courses at some campus have done with it. All four of those groups are represented and, and maybe filtered through a lens of music or literature or something of that nature. But we left it up to the campuses, cause believe it or not, 22 out of our 23 campuses already have ethnic studies courses on the books and are teaching them right now. The question is the requirement for students to take. Speaker 1: 02:26 Now earlier this summer, the Cal state university system actually came up with his own program, embracing ethnic studies. How does your bill differ from what the CSU board approved? Speaker 2: 02:35 Well, you know, the CSU board rapidly and quickly approved something without much faculty input and ours had lots of faculty input. And, but what it did, it says basically that, that you don't have to really take ethnic studies. It is one of many that you can take. And they've said that or something dealing with social justice, which has really anything offered at the university and it could be anything around the world. And so what our goal was to try to equip students with a better of those of American history and those groups and their participation in that, that requirement doesn't do that. And in fact, the students could graduate would never having taken one course in ethnic studies. And based on that recommendation, we already have recommendations like that at most campuses that call diversity requirements. And oftentimes students could take courses on Italian food and never actually deal with the critical issues facing California. So we rejected that proposal because it did not answer the questions that we thought should be answered and not fulfill the need that we think California needs. Speaker 1: 03:33 One of the reasons the CSU opposed your bill was that they said, quote, that it would set a dangerous precedent for legislative interference with the academic curriculum. So I guess the question is, you know, why should the legislature interfere with the curriculum? Isn't that the a university's job? Speaker 2: 03:50 Well, you know, we haven't really interfered with the curriculum. We have not stopped the curriculum. We have not redefine every course. The students have to take the legislature while it gives authority to the region, to the trustees. It also has a responsibility to also report to respond to the educational needs, not just in funding schools, but really the focus. And we've done that before, and there's never been an outcry. We've had issues about graduation rates and, and those kinds of things that we think we'll fund are not fun with regards to graduation rates and what schools should be doing with regards to accountability. So there have been number of things that have come down from the legislature related to CSU, even when I was a faculty member there. But we also recognize that when a committee or a group, such as this has been working and working and working to, to achieve a goal and the chancellor himself in his own blue ribbon committee said that this, that three units of excellent studies should be required. And then to drag their feet over and over to not engage in a conversation dialogue, and then make a proposal that is really already a proposal that most of the campuses do. And at the 12th hour, uh, it's disingenuous. And, and as I said, and therefore, an effort to try to offer escape the matter and make people believe that this is really an ethnic studies requirement. It was not well Speaker 1: 05:02 Right now, as the nation is grappling with these issues of race, talk about how valuable you think this course could be. Speaker 2: 05:10 You know, I hope it will be very valuable. I'm looking at, and I'm looking over at newspapers when I wasn't here for the incidents that are occurring in East County. And in other places like that, where there has just been, we would think at this point in time that that the racial divide and the racial hatred would be at least lowered, uh, at some point, but it seems to be rising up again. And it really comes out of a people's everybody's lack of understanding and respect of the history of those who live here, uh, that they have made contributions and they continue to make contributions and that we have to embrace the diversity that's here. Otherwise it will surely, surely, uh, wreak havoc on all of our lives. And so, as we, I look at the challenges we're facing in this nation, this will be important. Speaker 2: 05:52 This will be critical. Uh, California is the largest state in the union of fifth economy in the world and the most diverse state. And if we can't do this, who can't, and that will be important, it will play a major part. I hope, and, and helping us understand each other. Uh, we thought the integration schools would do it and that kind of what and waned and up and down. Uh, and we do see some better outcomes as a result of that, but we have to really continue to grapple with this issue and education of broad education that really engages students in that conversation is paramount. And when you talk to young people, who've been in ethnic studies, whether there's the subjects about them with someone else, it truly enhances their life. And it's a subject matter that students are extremely interested in. Speaker 1: 06:35 And when will this start? When will ethnic studies be required for CSU students? Speaker 2: 06:40 The, the requirement starts immediately. Any student who's enrolling in, uh, in the CSU, this is the fall will be required. The first graduating class, I think is 20, 23, 24. And those, we give students four years to get the requirement done. As we do it, we put it into their, their, um, their packet of courses to take. And, uh, and they can take it in any time, but they must take it by the time they really graduate. So the evaluation of whether or not you've actually completed the requirements for graduation, I believe it's in the 21, 23, 24 graduation year. Speaker 1: 07:10 We've been speaking with San Diego assembly woman, Shirley Weber. Thank you so much for joining us Speaker 2: 07:15 For the opportunity. And you all have a wonderful day.