“I think it’s important for our students to learn true history, and we are able to do it in a way that is authentic, honest and also compassionate,” Joemy Ito-Gates, Berkeley Unified School District ethnic studies teacher on special assignment, said. Ito-Gates works in the district to implement ethnic studies curriculum for younger grades, train teachers on how to effectively teach the subject, as well as consult with community members and students. She has been in this position for five years since the position was created. Since then, ethnic studies curriculum has been implemented in third, fourth, fifth, and eighth grade, not just at the high school level anymore. According to Ito-Gates, there are plans to work on training and curriculum for sixth and seventh as well as kindergarten through second grade.
“It’s ideal to try to dispel some of the usual narratives we have around certain historical events, instead of presenting more innocent or stereotypical parts,” Hugo Rios, Berkeley High School Hive 7 ethnic studies teacher, said in regards to the main reason he believes ethnic studies should be taught at a younger age. Rios explained that teaching the class to younger kids will help them understand why they need to learn the heavy and horrible part of the United States’ history instead of hiding the truth because it is hard to swallow.
“The biggest issue that I have with ninth graders is that they haven’t even asked their parents, ‘Where are we from?’ Besides Berkeley, ‘where do our ancestors come from?’” Itzel Calvo, the BHS Hive 2 ethnic studies teacher, explained, referring to how students of hers that are 14 or 15 years old have never actually learned where their family is from. According to Calvo, if students are able to ask these questions when they are younger, they can develop an identity and understanding their roots. Ito-Gates believes that one of the main goals of teaching Ethnic Studies at all ages is for students to “learn and love who they are and where they come from, and also to build connections and understanding with their peers and other people that they are in community with,” Ito-Gates said.
Marco Bloom, BHS Hive 6 ethnic studies teacher, shared what he thinks the main goal of the class is at BHS: “To help teenagers develop this strong sense of themselves, of their identity, their culture, and how they connect with and relate to people around them,” Bloom said. He believes this is an important goal for elementary-aged students as well, as kids of all ages should have a sense of identity even if it is far from fully developed.
Bloom described a personal experience that he went through as an adolescent involving the murder of Oscar Grant. Grant was a 22-year-old Black man who was shot in 2009 by a white police officer at a BART station in Oakland. The officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served two years in prison. The killing sparked many protests of police brutality and conversation in the community, moving the Black Lives Matter movement further in the Bay Area. “I think I was 12 years old when Oscar Grant was killed, and I remember having conversations with my parents around the implications of that matter and the impact that it would have on our communities,” Bloom said. Since these topics are not always talked about at that age, it can be difficult for younger kids to fully understand. When having conversations like the one Bloom had with his parents in school, students can become more educated on the very real conflicts that are in our society.
Rios provided an alternate perspective, saying, “I think other people may say that elementary school students may not be able to fully comprehend what they’re learning about.” Considering the challenge of elementary students not being able to completely understand the content, Rios believes it may be best to start teaching ethnic studies in middle school. This is because they will be starting to think or already know a little about topics that are covered in the course, such as identity, race, culture, and sexuality.
Hasmig Minassian, BHS Hive 1 ethnic studies teacher, shared a similar perspective to Rios and possible solution. “Cover topics that are lighter, or slightly more positive, not all of the heavy subjects, such as the contributions of the people in their neighborhood or their school. And for so many of these kids, their schools are named after people of color who really amplified and uplifted our community,” Minassian said.
“To better prepare students to understand how their own positionality can shape their understanding of history,” Calvo said, explaining the main goal of the course. He thinks that one valuable way ethnic studies curriculum could be integrated for younger ages is learning how their background influences their perspective of history and learning how to connect with others that are in history, seeing the similarities and differences in stories and experiences.
“Not everybody can or should teach ethnic studies. I think it takes people who are knowledgeable in ethnic studies and passionate about it,” Calvo said. Since ethnic studies covers topics that can be controversial and delicate, such as sexual assault, or harassment, and immigration, it’s understandable that not every teacher will be able to teach the course on a level where students feel comfortable to share personal thoughts, opinions and experiences.
Minassian came from a similar angle. “In terms of the teacher, I think where it could go wrong is if a teacher is not skilled in navigating complex issues, conversations, potential discussions about race and identity,” Minassian said.
“Students learning these initial concepts would be great for them, but also us teachers at the high school level, so that way, we don’t have to teach as much (background),” Rios said. If ethnic studies concepts were taught to younger students, they would get to BHS with a more sophisticated understanding, allowing for more meaningful lessons, benefiting both students and faculty.