In a response to the move in Arizona to ban Mexican American Studies, a bill in California would require public high schools to offer elective ethnic studies courses, reports the Huffington Post.
“This was in direct response to what was happening in Tucson,” Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-CA) said. “We’re not talking about banning courses … Ethnic studies are important and should be available at earlier grades.”
He says students would benefit by learning the heritage of Latino, black and Asian American students. Several school districts including Los Angeles and San Francisco have passed similar measures, but Alejo knows passage of his bill will be tough and he expects the cost factor will be a major argument against it.
You can read more about the Arizona controversy and the new laws in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the Huffington Post.
