Blog 5- Ethnic Studies

 Title: The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review

Author: Christine E. Sleeter

1. “Whites continue to receive the most attention and appear in the widest variety of roles, dominating storylines and lists of accomplishments.”

-Texts portray Euro-American experiences and worldviews. Minorities do not feel represented and or connected in the history curriculum taught in schools.

2. “Even texts published within the last ten years, while having added content that previously was absent (such as depictions of racial violence directed against African Americans during slavery), continue to disconnect racism in the past from racism today, and to frame perpetrators of racism as a few bad individuals rather than a system of oppression, and challenges to racism as actions of heroic individuals rather than organized struggle.”

-Racism is portrayed as something of the past and is still very prevalent today. Students are not taught about how minorities are still oppressed today as a society.

3.  “Ethnic studies scholarship by and about racial minority groups presents a different narrative that is shaped partially by histories of oppression in the U.S. as well as by the intellectual and cultural resources and traditions of those communities.”

-Students want to feel connected to the curricula taught in school. Due to the racism and oppression that minorities face, they view the Euro-American-influenced curricula taught in schools differently than white students.

This author advocates for the inclusion of ethnic studies in the school curriculum. Mainstream curricula (Euro-American) in schools do not adequately represent the history of the U.S. population, and as a result, students feel disconnected from the teachings. “Whites continue to receive the most attention and appear in the widest variety of roles, dominating storylines and lists of accomplishments.”  The material taught is dominantly white text, so the actual racism and oppression that the U.S. still faces are not accurately portrayed. “Even texts published within the last ten years, while having added content that previously was absent (such as depictions of racial violence directed against African Americans during slavery), continue to disconnect racism in the past from racism today and to frame perpetrators of racism as a few bad individuals rather than a system of oppression, and challenges to racism as actions of heroic individuals rather than organized struggle.” We are trying to paint this picture that racism and oppression are not currently an issue, and students who are victims can see right through.  “Ethnic studies scholarship by and about racial minority groups presents a different narrative that is shaped partially by histories of oppression in the U.S. as well as by the intellectual and cultural resources and traditions of those communities.” Through ethnic studies, minorities feel represented and, as a result, are engaged in the learning material. For example, if a black student feels oppressed and discriminated against, they aren't going to hold the Bill of Rights as a truth. If the students cannot trust what is being taught in schools, how is that student supposed to grow and prosper? Ethnic studies are inclusive, making all students feel connected and promote growth.