Please take action right now to include Arab Americans in Ethnic Studies curriculum

Mon Aug 10 18:31:34 PDT 2020

The California's Department of Education (CDE) is meeting this Thursday,
August 13, 2020 to put the finishing touches on an Ethnic Studies Model
Curriculum which would bring Ethnic Studies education to public high schools
throughout the state. Early versions of this curriculum included Arab
American and Pacific Islanders - these two groups have now been removed.

Please tell the Dept. of Education to keep Arab-Americans, including
Palestinian-Americans, and Pacific-Islanders in the Ethnic Studies
Curriculum: 

1)
<https://act.newmode.net/action/mpower-change/take-action-save-ethnic-studie
s/?source=aroc> Sign petition. 

2) Before tomorrow, August 11 at noon, please submit a comment.  Click for
details <https://savearabamericanstudies.org/send-public-comment/> . Here
are the addresses you can cut and paste into a message:
<mailto:ethnicstudies at cde.ca.gov> ethnicstudies at cde.ca.gov,
<mailto:superintendent at cde.ca.gov> superintendent at cde.ca.gov,
<mailto:Ldh at stanford.edu> ldh at stanford.edu,
<mailto:info at araborganizing.org> info at araborganizing.org 

3) Make a public comment at the Dept of Education meeting
<https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/aug2020iqcagenda.asp> . Phone number:
712-432-0075, Access code: 651905#. See details at the bottom of this
message.

4) For more information, visit:  <https://savearabamericanstudies.org/>
https://savearabamericanstudies.org/ or ebrotsky at gmail.com

Additional information

For the past year, a CA Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) was being
developed by scholars, and practitioners in the field. Since then, CDE
released their proposed revisions to the curriculum and it is devoid of the
foundational values and pedagogy of Ethnic Studies. Furthermore, Arab
American and Pacific Islander content has been removed!  This is not
acceptable.

These are the last few days before Thursday's meeting, and we need your
help!! Below we've attached a calendar of events and ways that you can join
the movement to save Ethnic Studies. 

We are demanding:

1.    Reconvene the original committee of writers and experts to revise the
original Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC). Ethnic Studies scholars and
teachers are the experts on Ethnic Studies curriculum and pedagogy. Arab
American scholars and teachers are the experts on Arab American curriculum
and pedagogy.

2.    Pass an ESMC that includes Pacific Islander and Arab American studies
course outlines and includes Palestine in Arab American studies.

3.    Maintain the Ethnic Studies framework-with disciplinary knowledge,
language, and pedagogy. Don't dilute it or convert it to a different field
(i.e., multicultural studies, diversity studies, or area studies).

4.    Work within clear cut structures for accountability, transparency, and
consensus-building. Center those structures on Ethnic Studies practitioners
of communities of color and Native peoples throughout the entire model
curriculum process, up to ratification.

We need your help to submit public comments prior to Thursday's meeting, and
give public comments during the meeting! The final day to provide public
comment before Thursday's meeting is August 11th at noon. Click
<https://savearabamericanstudies.org/send-public-comment/>  HERE to learn
how to send public comments and to view talking points.

Calendar of Events:

August 11th 12noon, comments due (see above.)

August 11th at 5pm -   Webinar with Ethnic Studies Faculty -
<http://bit.ly/ArabAmStudies>  "Arab American Studies, Palestine, and the
Fight for Ethnic Studies"

Join our webinar to hear from Ethnic Studies scholars on the legacy of
solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and its importance of social
justice pedogogy to Ethnic Studies!

August 13th at 10am-5pm  -
<https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/aug2020iqcagenda.asp>  CDE/IQC Meeting  

Join us for the IQC meeting and make live comments! Important Instructions
Below:

*  CDE Public comment allows for 1 minute per person (if speaking in
English). 

*  CDE will not provide interpretation. If you or someone you know needs
interpretation please let us know ASAP. An additional minute will be
provided for that... 

*  Use our talking points
<https://savearabamericanstudies.org/send-public-comment/>  to help guide
your comments.

IQC MEETING LOGISTICS for August 13th

THE LIVE IQC MEETING WEBCAST CAN BE VIEWED AT:

*	 <https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/pn/lv/index.asp> Live Webcast

PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDELINES

Public comment may be provided via email or phone, as specified below.

Email

The public is highly encouraged to submit written comment to the IQC
Commissioners in advance for their prior consideration. In order to help
ensure that Commissioners have sufficient time to review comments prior to
the meeting, please submit your comment by noon on Tuesday, August 11, 2020.
Comments on Item 2 History-Social Science Subject Matter Committee (SMC)
should be submitted to the Ethnic Studies mailbox at
<mailto:ethnicstudies at cde.ca.gov> ethnicstudies at cde.ca.gov. Comments on
items not on the agenda should be submitted to the IQC mailbox at:
<mailto:iqc at cde.ca.gov> iqc at cde.ca.gov. Join the
<https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/iqclistservpage.asp> IQC electronic mailing
list to receive information and updates from the Commission.

While not required, we ask that you include the following information in the
body of the email:

*	Commenter's first and last name
*	Organization affiliation
*	Agenda item number or general public comment

Public comments

Public comment may also be provided during the meeting by dialing the phone
number and following a prompt to provide a participant access code. The
operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public
comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute. If possible, we
recommend members of the public dialing in for public comment view the
live-stream of the meeting for a better understanding of the meeting's
status. The number and access code is below and will also be announced at
the start of public comment for each item.

*	Prior to making public comment, speakers who are watching the
meeting via  <https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/pn/lv/index.asp> live webcast should
make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid an echoing or
feedback sounds during the call.
*	Each speaker will be allotted one minute of public comment for each
agenda item.
*	Please use the phone number and access code provided below:

*	Phone number: 712-432-0075
*	Access code: 651905#

*	Speakers may only give comment for themselves and not provide
comment on behalf of another individual or group.

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