California lawmakers on Wednesday approved a model curriculum for ethnic studies and are considering making the subject a required course by the end of the decade.
If AB 101 is passed, California high schoolers would be required to take at least one semester of ethnic studies to graduate.
The bill’s author, assemblymember Jose Medina, said the coursework is a necessary step toward racial justice.
"As we’ve seen civil unrest and racial tension rise across this nation, California has prided itself on being a progressive beacon," Medina explained.
As members of the State Assembly’s committee on education took up the bill, opponents made the case that a required class in ethnic studies would only divide Californians.
"I simply do not think that when we have a curriculum that is inspiring that kind of division, it’s appropriate at all for us to force every student in CA to take it," argued assemblymember Kevin Kiley.
The bill managed to gain the committee’s approval, however there are still more votes to come.
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