Dear CFT Members,

We have a unique opportunity to provide feedback on a model curriculum for Ethnic Studies being prepared by the California Department of Education for K-12 schools, but the timeline is short.

For years, educators of color and their allies have worked to pass legislation that would chronicle the struggles of people of color in California. The CDE brought together educators to draft a model curriculum framework that honors those voices. The framework conceptualizes the historical, cultural, social and political contributions of people of color to this state.

I once asked to teach a semester of Ethnic Studies when I was teaching high school math. The district gave me this opportunity, but notified me at the very last minute and I didn’t know where to find curriculum. I worked hard to find the resources necessary to teach this class to Carpinteria students. But now with a model under development, a statewide curriculum will be readily available to all educators.

You can make a difference now!

Submit your public comments in support of the current Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum framework. You may also comment on the specific topic areas. To provide public comment, you must download the CDE’s template in Microsoft Word and then email it back to the CDE. Find complete instructions for submitting comments at the bottom of the CDE webpage.

The deadline to submit comments is this Thursday, August 15.

I know this may seem like last-minute homework when you are busily returning to work at your school or college, but your expertise and experience will build a stronger curriculum.

In Unity,

Jeffery M. Freitas
CFT President

P.S: If you want to know more about the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, here’s a helpful article from the Sacramento Bee.