Ethnic Studies

Our ETZ-ES Mailing List

Feel free to join and post items for focused discussion about the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, and the efforts by various school districts to adopt some forms of ES, some based on earlier versions of the ESMC.

(See also Antisemitism page on this website)


Yom Kippur 2021: Session on Ethnic Studies

Martin Griss & Don Goer, Thur, Sept 16, afternoon (2.15-3.15), via Zoom

Title: If you have school-aged children, find out how the new Ethnic Studies Curriculum and the
AB-101 mandate is likely to impact them.

An Ethnic Studies course is coming to a California high-school and Cal State classroom near you. But what kind of Ethnic Studies? How concerned should you be?

  • What is Ethnic Studies, the ESMC and the AB101?

  • What are local School Boards Doing?

  • What can you do to impact a School Board’s Decision?


Slides from Presentation

Recording: <tbd>


California State AB 101

AB101 Mandates an ES Course for HS Graduation by 2029-30

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB101


This bill would add the completion of a one-semester course in ethnic studies, meeting specified requirements, to the graduation requirements commencing with pupils graduating in 2029–30 and to offer an ethnic studies course commencing with the 2025–26 school year, as specified.


Ethnic Studies Curriculum (ESMC)


The development of the ESMC led to a split between the original developers and consultants of the first draft. The original developers wanted a more radical "Critical Ethnic Studies" launched the Liberated Ethnic Studies program.

Recent Articles

This article is a pretty even-handed explanation of the background and how things came to where they are today, and what it means going forward AND a box with links to the evolution of the various versions.

An article from the ACES critiquing version 4

Summary of History and Status of ES

(update needed)

(See below for some additional reference material, and the status of the "opposition" and Critical Race Theory)


California 2016 bill AB-2016 mandated the development of an Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) and the encouragement to have all high-school students take an Ethnic Studies course for graduation based on this ESMC. A later bill, AB331, mandated taking an ES course for graduation, but was vetoed. It came back as AB 101. Some 20 writers and advisors, inspired by the Critical Ethnic Studies movement and University programs (created starting in the 70’s) developed the 1st draft of the ESMC. After extensive public critique, the 1st draft of the ESMC was extensively revised to produce the 2nd draft of the ESMC. These drafts took a very limited and controversial view of history and were faulted by the Jewish community and others for blatant anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, pro-BS and pro-Palestinian anti-capitalist, revolutionary views. Whites are viewed as (colonial) oppressors of non-white minorities (based on “Critical Race Theory” called “Critical Ethnic Studies”). See Critical Ethnic Studies Association, CESA.


The 3rd draft is now undergoing final revision and will be voted on mid-March. Thanks to many comments and the actions of many Jewish organizations essentially all of the anti-Jewish content and references have been removed, and sample lessons on the Jewish experience were added. It is important to note that even with the ESMC greatly improved, because there is no requirement that school districts follow the ESMC in creating their own curriculums or delivering ES courses, significant concerns remain.

There are other elements still in the ESMC and especially related activities that are of concern to us as Jews and as citizens in the Bay Area. In addition to the efforts for and against the ESMC, there are multiple initiatives by groups to influence different school districts to adopt curriculums and teaching that appear to be based on the earlier Critical Ethnic Studies approaches. Some 20 (radical/revolutionary) authors/advisors of the original draft of the ESMC, leaders of from Ethnic Studies programs in colleges and universities, appointed by the state Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) are so frustrated with the revisions to their work (“watering it down” from the original intent), that they have requested their names be removed – and they are adopting other approaches and direct activism with school boards to influence the outcome. At recent meetings, these pro-Critical Ethnic Studies activists have claimed that the people wanting changes are against Ethnic Studies in general, saying they are motivated by fear and want to retain their privilege. These activists do not acknowledge the real flaws and risks.


There are 3 basic clusters of opinions regarding how Jews should approach the latest 3rd iteration of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, hoping for a more positive and multi-cultural “Constructive Ethnic Studies”:

  1. Focus primarily on removing the most egregious elements of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism (such as BDS, declaring Jews part of the white privilege oppressors, inclusion of Palestinian-Israeli issues, etc.) from 3rd draft. Consensus-based organizations desire to not upset non-Jewish partner organizations by appearing to reject Ethnic Studies all together. (E.g. Jewish Community Relations Council, JCRC has multiple articles and events on ES). Excellent sample lessons on the US Jewish experience, of both Askenazi and of Jews of the Middle East were created.

  2. Work harder to remove much more of the Critical Ethnic Studies elements, references and role models from 3rd draft, but still maintain that draft. Believe that leaving too much of the Critical Ethnic Studies underpinnings will lead to adoption of divisive ES curriculums, and have a negative effect on relations between different ethnic groups. (E.g. StandWithUs).

  3. Push hard to significantly revise this Critical Ethnic Studies (CES) curriculum, to removed the CES approach. At a minimum, require a significant revision of the Guiding Values and Principles. Unless these Guiding Principles are changed to remove Critical ES indoctrination and to encourage critical thinking, the one-sided ideology will be taught in the classrooms. ACES submitted 45 pages of edits that would keep the basic structure and turn it into a Constructive ES curriculum. By incorporating these edits IQC will not need a new curriculum written from scratch. It’s a do-able task to make it acceptable for the classroom. Indeed, it is impossible to implement balance in the ESMC lessons without removing the Critical ES foundation and its narrow ideological lens. . (E.g. Alliance for Constructive Ethnic Studies, ACES).

These efforts had significant effect in improving the ESMC and will likely result in official approval of the “better” version in March. These different perspectives are causing some tension and confusion in the wider Jewish community. It is likely that different school districts will not adopt the entire version 3 ESMC if approved, but will certainly draw lesson materials from it, as well as adding their own material, or unfortunately material from the Critical Ethnic Studies contingent.

Going forward: The 3rd draft ESMC seems to be on the verge of approval, despite a number of remaining concerns. Since in the USA each school district makes decisions on its own curriculum, we strongly suggest that parents and activists should work with each district to make sure they adopt a more reasonable approach. Ideally, you should make sure you have an ally and a voice on each school board, and be active in your PTA.

We are aware of efforts in San Mateo, which seem to be bearing some fruit in reducing the pernicious impact of the Critical Ethnic Studies push there, and in Santa Clara, which seems to be facing a much more difficult challenge from the proponents of Critical Ethnic Studies. This may have to do with the demographics of the county, which therefore impacts which officials are elected to the County Office of Education.

Despite the concerns and confusion, inaction, or inattention is a poor decision.


If you want more information, please contact me, martin@griss.com . There are many emails flowing about, and we need to stay alert.

The "Opposition" Critical Race Theory, Liberated Ethnic Studies


There is substantial push back from activists and original 20 authors/advisors, try to "save" or "liberate" the original 1st draft of the ESMC, or at least to encourage school districts to adopt a much more "Critical Ethnic Studies" approach, including more virulent anti-Israel content, such as BDS, and Palestinian topics, as the Liberated Ethnic Studies


The whole Critical Race Theory (CRT) emerged from the Berkeley movements in the 1970s, nurtured by radicals and Marxists in the 80s, and by legal scholars. It leads to treating all oppressed people as victims and whites as oppressors - and so white, Ashkenazi Jews are thus by definition colonial oppressors, and the poor Palestinians are the oppressed non-white victims. The idea that all oppressed movements need to link up and support each other leads to massive intolerance - Jews and especially Jews of Color can't fit into many of the "liberal" movements, and are told to "check your Jewishness and Zionism at the door".


https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05

Jews need to reject (elements of) Critical Ethnic Studies based on Critical Race Theory as what we teach our children, even if we support the idea of racial justice movements.

Bari Weiss has written several thought-provoking articles:


The whole Critical Race Theory leads to treating all oppressed people as victims and whites as oppressors - and so white, Ashkenazi Jews are thus by definition colonial oppressors, and the poor Palestinians are the oppressed non-white victims. The idea that all oppressed movements need to link up and support each other leads to massive intolerance - Jews and especially Jews of Color can't fit into many of the "liberal" movements, and are told to "check your Jewishness and Zionism at the door".


Jews of Color are an inconvenient truth. Jew's long time historical presence in the land of Israel is an inconvenient truth. Antisemitism and the oppression of Jews is an inconvenient truth. The role Jews played in the Civil Right movement is an inconvenient truth. Think about how waves of white and brown immigrants were treated by the current population each time a new group arrived or were denied entry - think about the way Irish, the Jews, the Puerto Ricans, etc. were "welcomed".


Comments by "Educators for Excellence in Ethnic Studies" also refer to removal of the Critical Ethnic Studies underpinnings in 3rd draft:




Reference and Opinion Material


Jewish Values - https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/attitudes-beliefs-and-values-shaping-jewish-practice

Jewish Community Relations Council, JCRC provided:

A Feb. 4th statement signed by a number of Jewish organizations (Federation, JCRC, ADL, Stand With Us, and more) addressed “misinformation regarding ethnic studies circulating in the Jewish community and press.”



A Jewish Journal article that has additional detail as well as a response from the author of the Tablet piece.