WPUSD cancels ethnic studies class

The Western Placer Unified School District voted to cancel ethnic studies class for 2025 to 2026 due to Gov. Gavin Newsom removing the requirement from his state budget and ongoing debate in the community about the course's value despite children being enrolled in the course. In 2021, Assembly Bill 101 was signed into California law to require a one-semester ethnic studies course as a high school graduation requirement beginning for the class of 2030. This law also required that for the 2025-26 school year, all public schools had to offer at least one semester of the course. These requirements are tied to state funding the governor's spending plan did not set aside money for. Without the money in the budget, the requirement to offer it would disappear. This turns the current course offered into an elective. Despite the lack of state funding, the agenda item stated that "costs for offering the course are minimal — under $2,000 for teacher prep and PD, and under $25,000 for instructional materials, should a new text be adopted. Any costs will be covered with remaining Ethnic Studies Course development funds from prior year (approximately $40,000 remaining). Should there be additional costs above this, they will be covered by Instructional Materials funds and Supplemental Professional Development funds. No new staff have been/will be hired." The board revisited the course offering due to 84 students were signed up for the course in the 2025-26 school year. Lincoln had 38 students in the fall semester and 35 students in the spring semester. Twelve Bridges had 11 students signed up for the spring semester. During the open comment session Aug. 19, parents discussed concerns about the elective course taking away a focus on the basics like English and math. "As our schools really need concentration on basics, reading and math, please concentrate on curriculum that addresses strengthening students on basics, not on ethnic studies," a community member shared. "Students can hardly multiply or read math. There can be efforts to always have students be accepting in other cultures, but a curriculum taking time from the basics is not critical at this point in students' lives." According to California School Dashboard, a tool made by the California Department of Education showed WPUSD scored 4.6 points above standard for English Language Arts and 20.2 points below standard for Mathematics academic performance. Twelve Bridges scored 48.5 points below standard for English Language Arts and 90 points below standard for Mathematics. Lincoln High scored 28.2 points below standard for English Language Arts and 88.7 points below standard for Mathematics. Some community members argued the course could be divisive. The ethnic studies curriculum outline states the course is "not intended to demonize or shame any one group of people." It also states the course is not "designed to perpetuate one viewpoint or a platform for a political agenda of either side. The purpose of this course is to foster civic discussion and integrate multiple perspectives." Multiple students spoke up in support of the course, stating they were excited to learn from a history class that shares the perspective of different cultures. "I among other students who are enrolled in the course were very excited to learn a more balanced history, a history that includes the perspective of everyone," a freshman at Lincoln explained. "We were excited to learn about many different cultures and peoples and how they were affected by historical lens from an unbiased perspective. The class seems to be a way to understand the truth about history, including experiences of everybody, because, as we know, this is not always the case with standard American history process." The board debated removing the course completely, keeping it fully, keeping it only at Lincoln and taking it away at Twelve Bridges. The board's main discussion debated whether the course fosters greater understanding across cultures or risks encouraging new tensions among the students. Before the vote, Superintendent Kerry Callahan brought up that without the state requirement aspect the course becomes an elective. Before this elective, WPUSD has never denied an elective students wanted. Board member April Nitsos made the motion to remove the Ethnic Studies course as an elective, seconded by George Dystrka. Majorie Proffitt agreed to remove it, with Criste Freymond and Jason Price voting to keep it. As a result of the board's votes, 38 Lincoln High students who were already taking the course this fall were shifted to a Geography class. The 35 spring semester students will also be moved to a Geography course. At Twelve Bridges, the 11 students signed up for the spring course will be moved to different electives or an unscheduled period.