Dear Friends,
We are deeply concerned by a recent draft for a new ethnic studies curriculum proposed by the State of California education board which ignores the Jewish people as a minority group and singles out Israel for criticism. The passage of this draft – the first state-level curriculum on the academic subject in the country - would foster blatant bias against Israel and reinforce anti-Semitic tropes.
Please contact Members of Congress whom you have met, especially those from California or on the House/Senate Education Committees, and urge them to voice their strong disapproval of this very troubling draft for the California State ethnic studies curriculum.
A list of Members on the House Education & Labor Committee can be found here.
A list of Senators on the Senate Health, Education Labor & Pensions Committee can be found here.
You can find contact information for Representatives here.
You can find contact information for Senators here.
Additional Background
In 2016 California enacted a law that updated scholastic requirements to include a mandatory Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. The Instructional Quality Commission was directed to develop this curriculum to be submitted to the state Board of Education by Dec. 31 this year. The proposed curriculum deals with immigrant communities and minorities in the United States; their history, culture and public perception.
The draft curriculum that is currently being considered by the California Department of Education omits Jews as a minority group. The glossary defines a wide range of terms including Islamophobia, homophobia, xenophobia, dehumanization, microaggression and the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement — but yet completely excludes any mention of anti-Semitism.
Connecting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to American social justice movements, the curriculum includes subtopics such as "Direct Action Front for Palestine and Black Lives Matter"; "Call to Boycott, Divest, and Sanction Israel"; and "Comparative Border Studies: Palestine and Mexico." BDS is included on a "List of Potential Social Movements" recommended for students to research.
In addition, the curriculum is riddled with historical inaccuracies that skew the truth against Israel. In one section, it defines "Israel-Palestine" as a country. In another, recommended song lyrics refer to the "Israeli colony."
The current draft of the curriculum can be viewed online here. 
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