This week, we discussed the efforts of San Francisco Board of Education Superintendent Maria Su and the school district to implement a new policy called “grading for equity,” which aims to lower the standards for student grading to artificially improve their performance. While kept secret from the parents, news of the plan led to a public outcry, and Su announced that she would study the policy a bit longer. Now, however, parents have learned of another controversial plan of the San Francisco Unified School District to enroll their kids in a mandatory two-semester ethnic studies class.
Parents are again rising in opposition. With kids struggling to reach proficiency in basic subjects, the SFUSD continues to prioritize its social agenda over educational needs.
The two-semester ethnic studies class will now require students to explore topics such as structural racism and colonialism as a condition for graduation. The mandatory course was approved despite objections from Lainie Motamedi, the school board president at the time, that the board had never approved funding for the year-long requirement. Parents are decrying the continued lack of transparency and consultation in the school district.
Previously, parents could opt their children out of the course. That did not sit well with the social warriors at the SFUSD so they have now been told that their children must take the course or not graduate.
The course has long been controversial due to what parents view as highly political and biased material. Some raised reading assignments that equated capitalism with racism and other material viewed as anti-Israeli. The district later removed some of the material.
Critics also point to the original resolution and its co-author former school board vice president Alison Collins. Collin was criticized after a series of tweets comparing the Chinese community to a “house n****r.” We previously discussed how Collins denounced meritocracy: “When we talk about merit, meritocracy and especially meritocracy based on standardized testing … those are racist systems.”
Some teachers defended controversial material like a reading that denigrates white males. Ethnic studies teacher, David Ko of Washington High School, insisted
“there’s definitely moments with that article topic where students might feel uncomfortable. The extreme alternative is to avoid all discomfort, which means, at least potentially, not talking about anything that would make anyone feel uncomfortable. That means there’s a lot of curriculum that’s off the table.”
That is hardly compelling. There are many things that make people feel uncomfortable, but discomfort is not the measure of success. I doubt seriously that Ko or the district would relish the discomfort of assigning blatantly racist or sexist material.
In a school district that has long been criticized for a pronounced political and social agenda, the course is understandably concerning for many parents. Many others simply view it as a distraction from more pressing needs to improve proficiency in core educational areas from English to math to science.
The more pressing question is why it must be mandatory. There would be less outcry if students could opt in or opt out. Many students are trying to prepare for an increasingly difficult work environment. They may be more interested in additional math or science courses. Why not let the students and their parents decide?
Superintendent Su insists, however, that students must be forced to experience something that “honors their lived experiences.”
Some parents, however, are more concerned with the “lived experiences” awaiting their children if they cannot meet and exceed basic proficiency standards in an increasingly competitive job market.
#9. Sounds threatening…
https://tips.fbi.gov/home
Oh Mr. Moderator, more infantile threats being made again. Perhaps it’s acceptable on Professor Turley’s blog. Not so much with the FBI.
ALL the curriculum that’s ever been “necessary” has been on the table. Reading, writing, math (and related topics like science and history): this formula always served well until we started having purple-haired, gender-confused, Marxist teachers.
Parents don’t object to children learning about other ethnicities within a contextual framework, like a history lesson; they object to the hidden agenda of a year-long course, where its base is current extremist-socio-political ideology. Teaching love (and understanding) of one’s neighbors is the duty of the church, not the state’s Godless classroom.
When administrators [of any kind] start using words like “forced,” as Superintendent Su insists, “…that students must be forced to experience something….” and within mandate and threat “as a condition of graduation,” be very afraid, and fight back hard!
Jonathan: Some of the MAGA crowd on your blog think we should get rid of California–let it succeed. They endlessly complain about the state’s “woke” culture and its “leftist indoctrination” of its students. They get this from DJT who you will never hear complain about the treatment of his golf resort in Ranch Palos Verdes with its majestic views of the Pacific Ocean. DJT knows when he has it good.
So what does California contribute to the economy that makes it such a pariah state with the MAGA faithful? In 2022, California contributed $692 billion in taxes to the federal government. It got back $609 billion, resulting in a net contribution of $83.1 billion. That included COVID reimbursement. Without that California would be a much bigger donor state.
There are a lot of states who receive way more than they contribute. In order they are Maryland, Texas and North Carolina. Southern states are typically “recipient” states–they pay in way less than they receive back from the federal government. They are constantly at the teat of the government.
Now if California were to succeed it would be the fourth largest economy of the world. It has everything the world needs. It has high finance and high tech. It has the largest entry port at Long Beach. Take that away and the rest of what remains of the US would be hurting. And California is on the Pacific Ocean–much closer to Asian markets. California has it all.
For all the bad mouthing the US needs California. It could do with Maryland, Texas or North Carolina but without California would these states be able to make up for the loss of tax revenue? Get real!
It has also given us Shiff, Pelosi, Cameltoe, Newsome and a whole host of others. The genesis of the “green devolution” was in California, their once great educational institutions are now nothing more than shadows of their former selves and have evolved into centers of hate toward every reasonable suggestion that might counter their hate for average Americans. As the entrenched and all knowledgeable Californians all know: When the San Andreas fault does it’s thing all things east of the fault will fall into the Atlantic and their ultimate solution will have arrived. I think I’ll get a new keffiyeh and a baseball bat and join’em.
What an outright LIAR.
Calif has more homeless then any other state, for which they can not afford.
Calf has the worse debt and on top of that. The state retirement system is BROKE!!!
I could go on and on, but it’s not had to look up dennis.
Dustoff
And yet you post ZERO proof for these claims.
Just an opinion.
Dustoff’s comments are almost always right on the money. I say almost because I am not sure that I haven’t missed some that I may disagree with but to my best recollection I agree with everything Dustoff says.
hullbobby
But Dustoff NEVER posts any proof for what he says.
How can anyone believe an opinion with no proof posted to back it up
Were California to SECEDE: we already know they are not “succeeding” to full potential, except in the worst of things (like two-faced governors and taxes), but a conservative crowd badmouthing? Not exactly. It’s more like sorrow.
—Sorrow for one of the most beautiful states in the union, the most productive, rating as the “fourth largest economy in the world,” despite the wealth disparity and the bottomless pit of homelessness,
—despite the treacherous tax burden,
—despite the inane and counterproductive legislations and bizarre spending:
—diverting fresh water into the oceans so that water for putting out fires could not be had,
—and who can ever forget the city bulldozers sent out, during California’s excessively evil lock-downs, burying skate-parks with sand so kids couldn’t get out in the fresh air. INSANE extreme-leftist-mindsets, there.
You claim California provides more tax revenue to the US [than it spends on its illegals]: are you sure??? Anyway, the point is never “what’s wrong with Califonia?” It’s actually, what’s wrong with he people who live there??? Too many toxins in the water, too much fluoride: self-harm, brain calcification?
* Washington, Oregon, California have left. Nit formally because you keep sending federal money
“It’s the [Constitution], stupid!”
– James Carville
___________________
PRIVATIZE EDUCATION
PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY
PRIVATIZE MEDICARE
Government enjoys no legal basis to operate a free enterprise, free industry, or free market business.
Unions and communists (redundant) have no legal basis to take over industry or the government.
Education is not mandated by the Constitution, nor is retirement investing or healthcare.
The mandate America is adhering to is the following from Karl Marx:
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
That is utterly unconstitutional communism.
Historically, America had been the beacon on the hill where immigrants came to embrace the ideals and values of our constitutional republic and to ‘assimilate’. Today’s trend is to fundamentally transform, by eradicating historical ideals and values and to ‘disassimilate’.
#9. Given the huge ignorance in this country of posting the “Comey shell code” threat against the President, (at twice on this blog in the last two days), this link is deeply needed.
https://tips.fbi.gov/home
Oh Mr. Moderator… You’re up.
Given the the huge ignorance in the is country on other groups of people, this course is deeply needed.
The “#9” is posted to direct the visitor to SCROLL OVER.
Jonathan: DJT is mad as hell at Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society. What’s that about? For those who don’t remember during the first term Leo picked all of DJT’s nominees for the federal judiciary. Those approved by the Senate fanned out in courts around the country. But to DJT’s consternation many of those same judges have ruled against DJT in cases starting this year. It culminated in the ruling by the 3-judge panel in the CIT case where one of DJT’s appointees sided with the majority and ruled DJT’s tariffs were illegal and unconstitutional. The DJT judge actually followed the law.
This latest decision sent DJT into a fury on Friday. In a 500-word rant on Truth Social DJT turned on Leo, calling him a “sleazebag, and a person who, in his own way, probably hates America”. DJT always projects. He hates American so he thinks Leo must also hate America. On Friday Stephen Miller, who seems to always have his boss’s ear, lashed out at Leo and the judges he recommended, calling them “rogue Communist judges”. Miller said Leo and the Federalists would no longer vet judicial nominees. From now on Miller will have that role added to his job description. From here on judges will be selected on the basis of their MAGA loyalty and will be expected to follow orders–even if it means disobeying the law.
We’ve seen this before. It’s all out of the Hitler playbook. Starting in 1933 Hitler began a systematic campaign to purge the largely conservative German judiciary of any judges that might be considered disloyal. They were replaced with Nazi judges who always rubberstamped Hitler’s dictatorial powers. That is what Stephen Miller wants and expects from the people he recommends to his boss! Seig heil!
#9. DM gives the Seig Heil, Booker gives the Seig Heil… It’s the latest trend.
https://nypost.com/2025/06/01/us-news/new-jerey-sen-cory-booker-roasted-for-nazi-salute-at-california-democratic-convention/
Funny that people who would stridently oppose, say, Bible study in public schools, vigorously support actual indoctrination.
Jonathan: DJT is now mad as hell at Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society. What’s that about? For those who don’t remember in his first term DJT almost all of his nominees to the federal judiciary were chosen by the Leo and the Federalist Society. Since January those right-wing judges have been involved in many of the cases brought against DJT. And in many of those cases those same judges have sided with the majority finding DJT’s policies and actions are illegal and unconstitutional. That culminated in the CIT case in which a DJT judge and two appointed by Obama and Reagan gave summary judgment for the plaintiffs, finding DJT’s tariffs had not been approved by Congress and, therefore, are illegal and unconstitutional.
That did not sit well with DJT. He was livid that a judge appointed by him under Leonard Leo’s advisement during the first term would rule against him. DJT doesn’t like it when judges actually follow the law. So in a 500-word rant on Truth social DJT lashed out at Leo, calling him a “sleazebag, and a person who, in his own way, probably hates America”. On Friday, the real power now behind the throne, Stephen Miller, echoed his boss’s sentiments and accused the judges in the CIT case of being “rogue Communist judges”
Talk about criminal presidents; Obama is not a “natural born citizen” according to the sole genuine definition of “natural born citizen” in the Treatise of Vattel, The Law of Nations, 1758.
Everything Lincoln did was unconstitutional and remains to be abrogated and rescinded, beginning with the woefully unconstitutional “Reconstruction Amendments.”
Lincoln was the most egregious criminal to hold office in American history.
Secession was constitutional.
Lincoln’s war was unconstitutional.
Lincoln’s forcible imposition of martial law was unconstitutional.
Lincoln’s confiscation of legally deeded private property was illegal and unconstitutional.
Lincoln’s failure to enforce existing immigration law on January 1, 1863, was an illegal and unconstitutional crime of high office requiring impeachment and conviction.
Lincoln’s suspension of habeas corpus was unconstitutional.
To wit,
“The clause in the Constitution which authorizes the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is in the ninth section of the first article. This article is devoted to the Legislative Department of the United States, and has not the slightest reference to the Executive Department.”
“I can see no ground whatever for supposing that the President in any emergency or in any state of things can authorize the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, or arrest a citizen except in aid of the judicial power.”
“I have exercised all the power which the Constitution and laws confer on me, but that power has been resisted by a force too strong for me to overcome.”
– Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, May 28, 1861
*. Ethnic meaning meaning a culture that is non-judeochristian.
Schools might begin by teaching American culture / history formally at every grade and level K-12. In this way all Americans will have a shared identity as Americans.
The opposition becomes apparent? The beginning of the undoing is the mandatory non-judeochristian (ethnic) class as the American history is deleted ever increasingly.
Interesting…
^^^ Google SF mandatory ethnic studies. It’s in cooperation with Stanford.
It’s misleading in the use of ethnic studies. It’s about structural racism, socialism, colonialism or just white man bad studies.
The founders were clearly white judeo-christian men who thunked up some crappy political scheme. Obviously no founder was black, native, Chinese, Indian, or non English speaking women so their claim to fame is labor. The labor party…it’s the reason they can steal and lie, cheat and murder. They built it. They’ve tried hard to get the chinese out at Harvard so now they’re spies.
The US was the first political system without Kings. It was the first to outlaw slavery as an economic system mainly used by Africans within Africa.
Economic systems have changed but the political system has been steadfast and has endured.
Thanks, PT. I’m feeling a lot like Rhett Butler right now.
African tribal leaders abducted and sold their own countrymen, which started slavery in the Americas.
African tribal leaders, or their modern equivalent, must pay for reparations and compassionate repatriation.
In God’s Eyes and Our Constitution we are all equal. What we as individual’s do with our gifts from our Creator is up to the individual. That is our own responsibility. For example: I’m certainly not equal in athletics to many sport figures. Should I earn the same living as them? Equality? Should we all have the same house, automobile, job, pay? Or should I earn it!
* I’m a Calvinist…
Yep, a real crown of thorns.
David Ko jabbers, “there’s definitely moments with that article topic where students might feel uncomfortable. The extreme alternative is to avoid all discomfort, which means, at least potentially, not talking about anything that would make anyone feel uncomfortable. That means there’s a lot of curriculum (sic) that’s off the table.”
Safe spaces for thee and not for me? San Francisco’s hypocrisy is becoming epic.