SFUSD Superintendent Considers Pausing Mandatory Ethnic Studies Requirement Amid Escalating Parental Opposition

San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is facing significant pressure to re-evaluate its mandatory ethnic studies graduation requirement, with Superintendent Maria Su reportedly considering a pause on the program for the upcoming academic year. This consideration follows growing concerns from parents and advocacy groups who argue the curriculum promotes "indoctrination" over foundational education. The requirement, which began with the Class of 2028, mandates two semesters of ethnic studies for high school graduation.

Parental opposition has intensified, with groups like "Vote and Change SF" actively campaigning for the requirement's rescission. In a recent social media post, the group stated: > "SF students need eduation, not indoctrination". They urged a focus on "language, science and college prep instead of ideology," and called for signing a petition to rescind the requirement. Parents have voiced concerns that the course, which covers topics such as structural racism and colonialism, has replaced world history for ninth graders and contains content they deem politically charged or inaccurate.

Specific elements of the curriculum have drawn criticism, including past references to the Chinese Red Guards as a social movement and a 2012 article on "white male privilege." Some parents, such as Viviane Safrin, have described the material as "a lot of one-sided political dogma" that lacks "open inquiry" and "factual integrity." Concerns have also been raised about the curriculum's impact on Jewish students, particularly in discussions related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Superintendent Maria Su has acknowledged these concerns, stating her commitment to "thoroughly reviewing the materials and evaluating how we can address these concerns." The district has previously removed some examples that drew complaints and published curriculum materials online. However, the potential pause on the program has drawn criticism from educators and school board members like Matt Alexander, who argue it would create a "logistical nightmare" for scheduling and is a disproportionate response given the course's established benefits.

Despite the controversy, SFUSD has offered ethnic studies as an elective since 2010, and research from Stanford University and UC Irvine indicates positive impacts, including improved attendance, higher GPAs, and an increased sense of belonging for students, particularly those of color. The district's official stance, as per a 2021 press release, emphasizes that ethnic studies helps "narrow the opportunity gap for students of color as well as benefit white students." The state of California also has a mandate for a semester of ethnic studies to be required for graduation starting with the Class of 2030, though state funding for this initiative has recently been withheld.