The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

The piece The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies writes about the ethnic studies of today and how many students are expressing interest but schools won't provide these classes. When reading this piece I was able to connect it back to last weeks reading regarding the four I's of oppression. This is a prime example of institutional oppression. The history of the people in power is being represented and taught while the cultures and history of the minorities aren't. This shows the culture in power representing themselves more when it comes to the education of children and not allowing the minorities a way to show their history and cultures in the classroom. “For example, although White fifth graders believed that the Bill of Rights gives rights to everyone, about half of the Black children pointed out that not everyone has rights. While Black children were beginning to articulate a sense of racial oppression,”. This is a great example used in the texts showing that institutional oppression of certain history. Curriculum of schools are created by the people with power and don't do a good enough job of representing other cultures and the minority. Throughout the text the author uses many examples of students wanting to learn more about their own culture or other cultures but schools don't offer them. Allowing schools to intergrade ethnic studies as shown in this paper will be able to allow better teaching and learning and also begin tapping the glass on this form of oppression in schools.  

Attached here is a paper going over the positive effects of implementing ethnic studies in schools.