SFUSD Makes Plans to De-Colonize Indigenous History
I am so excited about the work going on in SFUSD’s Curriculum and Instruction Department! Last week, staff made a presentation to the Curriculum Committee to address curriculum and celebrations of Indigenous history in our district.
Systemic problems need systemic answers.
Over the past several years, many educators have worked to de-colonize social-studies instruction in SFUSD. That said this work has never been done at a systemic, district-wide level.
This year we have seen a lot of positive changes in district leadership: including our district’s new Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Enikia Ford-Morthel, to our new Chief Academic Officer, Nicole Priestly, to the composition of the Board of Education itself. My colleagues and I are among a new cadre of Commissioners committed to cultural visibility for all communities. As a parent, I feel our district is finally moving “beyond the talk” to take on the work of removing harmful narratives about Native American and Indigenous people from textbooks, classroom walls, and school celebrations.
For far too long, our district has talked “equity” yet failed to take action to address systemic aspects of white supremacy culture in our curriculum. This is finally changing.
When I first I began teaching over twenty years ago, there were other AMAZING educators leading the way. Teachers 4 Social Justice is an organization that has been “doing the work” for decades. Over the past several years, #EthnicStudies educators have also been supporting this work with interested CONTINUE READING: SFUSD Makes Plans to De-Colonize Indigenous History - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM
