The FAIR Act (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act 2012) is a California law that compels the inclusion of contributions made by different groups into the teaching of history social studies curricula. The legislation also added some requirements with regard to instructional materials.
Education Code Section 60040 directs governing boards to only adopt instructional materials that “accurately portray the cultural and racial diversity of our society.” That section already included a number of groups, and was amended to include all of those in Section 51204.5 as listed above.
These updated education guidelines require a factual, inclusive, age-appropriate teaching of history. They empower parents to provide input about social studies lessons at the district level and give clarity about what students will or will not learn in the classroom. Lessons about morality or the intimate details of historical figures’ lives are not part of the law and are left entirely for parents to discuss at home.
Finally, the legislation provides a reminder to charter and alternative schools that they are also prohibited in engaging in discrimination per Section 235 of the Education Code.
The FAIR Education Act is to be implemented in social science classes in all grades. As part of this work, RUSD is available to support teachers and the school community to create and maintain a safe and respectful classroom environment.
All students should expect to have respectful class work and assignments regarding the populations designated by the FAIR Education Act.
All students are protected from bias and/or harassment in any school-related activities, discussions, or assignments.
The FAIR Education Act is in alignment with the RUSD Strategic Plan to “Establish an inclusive culture where diversity and individual differences are valued and celebrated.”
As we progress, we will all continue to strive to create a more inclusive culture and provide a safe and supportive teaching and learning environment for our students and staff, and to communicate with parents and staff, and to ensure consistency and transparency throughout this process.
The recent Supreme Court case, Mahmoud v. Taylor , expanded the rights of parents to opt their students out of curricular content that infringers on their sincerely held religious beliefs. For more information, please visit the RUSD Curriculum and Instruction website.
Yes. You may request to view the curriculum in person by completing this request form.
This website shares syllabi for board adopted History-Social Science curricula in grades K-6. Additionally, teachers in grades 6-12 will share their syllabi with parents through email, website or Schoology. In order to coordinate parent/teacher support for student learning, upon individual inquiry to teachers, parents may be provided an estimate on the intended day the specific material is to be taught. Teachers may also request that the parent check back when the unit of concern is closer to the date on the syllabus, in order to provide a more exact date.
We have asked parents to access the District’s online portal to view teacher and student materials for Studies Weekly and for the McGraw curricula for more information about topics for which they want more information or advanced notice. After reviewing the units and materials, should parents want more information as to when specific content will be taught, they should contact their child’s teacher directly with specific questions about units of study. Teachers will then provide a response as to the intended day the specific content will be covered. Again, if the unit is many weeks away, teachers have been directed to ask parents to check back when the unit of concern is closer to the date on the syllabus, in order to provide a more exact date. Please note that the intent of section 10 of BP 6144 is to provide parents with requested information as to when specific History Social Studies units will be taught, rather than providing regular notifications on broad topics such as “tolerance.”
RUSD strives to create a more inclusive culture and provide a safe and supportive teaching and learning environment for our students. RUSD has a strong anti-bully stance and specific curriculum, pedagogy, and disciplinary actions to address bullying in any form. If your child is bullied for any other reason, please report this to your child's teacher or the principal immediately so that is can be addressed and mitigated.
Many important and engaging aspects of the curriculum are part of the online program component. For this reason, students may be required to use the online portion of the curriculum during the instructional day. After school hours or at home, it is recommended that you set clear expectations about what your child is allowed to access online and/or monitor their use of online applications and tools.
If you have not received a response from your child’s teacher within 48 hours, please contact the school principal.
When teachers participate in a new curriculum pilot, letters are sent home to notify parents.
The public is notified via postings that materials are being recommended for adoption and are on public display at the District Office. The presentation and public review are posted for 30 days by law prior to any new curriculum adoption.
When new curriculum adoptions are announced, a committee is created to review and pilot curricula. In RUSD, parents are an important voice on these committees. Look for emails from the district announcing curriculum adoption committees and submit your name for the committee if you are interested. If there are more parents who submit their names than spaces on the committee, a lottery will be held to select parent representatives.
We have had several iterations of this since its inception and will not be making further changes for the next year. Some parents did not agree with the definitions listed, and some did. We are moving forward at this time with the given definitions -- which will only be used if specific questions come up in a classroom. Teachers also have the right to tell a student that they prefer the student talk to adults in their home about a topic, too, as per the HSS Resource.
The sub will be left plans as per normal procedures. Teachers are asked not to leave sensitive topic curricula for subs to teach.
Instructional Aides should let certificated teachers know, but the district will continue to promote the “CLARIFY”, “RESPECT”, and REFER to Teacher/Family response pattern for all staff.
If a parent has specific questions, he/she will let that parent know, but teachers are not going to update parents each week on their timeline. Parents are free to reach out to teachers.
Not all videos may be watched. However, they are shared with parents through the portal to provide transparency that they are in the curriculum and could be viewed. Parents should email teachers to ask about specifics.
The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act (SB 48), written by Senator Mark Leno, went into effect January 1, 2012. The FAIR Act amends Education Code to ensure that the contributions and roles of underrepresented racial, ethnic, and cultural populations are included in Grades 1-12 United States and California History lessons, classes, and curricular materials.
FAIR is in alignment with the California History/ Social Science Standards. It is up to teachers, schools, and districts (in conjunction with parent and community input) to determine how FAIR content, instruction, and materials are incorporated into each grade level/ class. The History/ Social Science textbook adoption process began in 2017; however, the California History/ Social Science Framework provides specific grade-level examples of FAIR content.
The Fair Education Act amends the following California Education Code:
1. Regarding Grades 1-12 History/ Social Science standards: The Fair Education Act amends the following California Education Code:
· § 51204.5. Instruction in social sciences shall include the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic and cultural groups, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.
2. Regarding teacher instruction:
· § 51500. A teacher shall not give instruction and a school district shall not sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation, or because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.
3. Regarding teaching materials:
· § 51501. The state board and any governing board shall not adopt any textbooks or other instructional materials for use in the public schools that contain any matter reflecting adversely upon persons on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation, or because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.
4. Regarding textbook adoption:
· § 60040. When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, governing boards shall include only instructional materials which, in their determination, accurately portray the cultural and racial diversity of our society, including:
(a) The contributions of both men and women in all types of roles, including professional, vocational, and executive roles.
(b) The role and contributions of Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic and cultural groups to the total development of California and the United States.
© The role and contributions of the entrepreneur and labor in the total development of California and the United States.
· § 60044. A governing board shall not adopt any instructional materials for use in the schools that, in its determination, contain:
(a) Any matter reflecting adversely upon persons on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation, occupation, or because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.
(b) Any sectarian or denominational doctrine or propaganda contrary to law.
More information can be found at the California Department of Education.