August 7th, 2020
Dear Commissioner Ricker,
Thank you for expressing interest to support our proposed legislation in the 2020 legislative session for “ethnic studies for all”. As you know we are living in difficult times. This trying time continues to magnify the pain and hurt inflicted on our community, yet we have also seen a tremendous demonstration of visionary actions in support of racial justice. As organizers, educators, youth, and parents, we know that this visionary action to demand what is right for our communities is a result of years of organizing, despite not being heard or seen. Our communities are tired of waiting.
The murder of George Floyd has made Minneapolis, and Minnesota the epicenter of a historic uprising. One that demands transformative change and the dismantling of systems that exploit and police our black, brown, and indigenous communities. The result of anti-blackness is integrally connected to our education system and the lack of challenge to its eurocentric pedagogy. The erasure of our stories, realities, and upbringings has further normalized the dehumanization and exploitation of black and brown bodies. We see this all too often with the current curriculum, with inadequate funding, with school resource officers, with a lack of teachers of color, with policy that exclude students of color, and many inequitable practices that continue to oppress our communities.
The current pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges our students face in Minnesota schools. Historical patterns of lack of resources invested in our community, language support, and economic instability have all played a part in our students’ learning. This is why we firmly believe that ethnic and indigenous studies are more important now than ever. Students, families, and communities need to see concrete actions from institutions such as MDE to ensure that they are truly valued and that change is possible.
As a coalition of diverse community stakeholders, who have a shared vision of liberatory education. One that honors the inherent dignity and worth of all our students, parents, and educators and strives to mitigate and further prevent social injustice we ask that MDE commit to the following:
- Invest in Developing Ethnic Studies: Establish a fully staffed team to work on a timeline and plan with community members to establish critical, community-connected, and inquiry-based curricula in our state (i.e. Ethnic Studies, heritage language, American Indian/Indigenous Studies, Black History).
- Include ethnic studies in MDE’s 2021 legislative priority and support our Coalition’s effort.
- Provide guidance to school districts on how to create Ethnic Studies courses that are mandatory while still meeting State Standards criteria.
- Develop an Anti-Racist Framework: Develop and implement an Ethnic Studies and Anti-racist framework and set of criteria for all State Standards revisions.
- Create Inclusive Environment: Change practices at the state level to be more welcoming and accessible to youth, especially as members of State Standards Revision committees.
Provide Clear Guidance for Teachers: Work with PELSB and community members to develop an Ethnic Studies teaching licensure as well as guidelines for who is qualified to teach ethnic studies in K-12 schools, including community members as co-teachers.
Coalition Members:
Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP)
Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL)
Increase Teachers of Color Coalition
Minneapolis Federation of Teachers
St. Paul Public School’s Student Engagement & Advancement Board (SEAB)
Social Justice Education Movement