Reflecting on The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

Christine E. Sleeter's research review on The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies really drove home some of the topics we have discussed in class, especially the silenced dialogue in America, and the impact these topics have on our education system. For example, the elephant in the room introduced by Johnson relates to the avoidance of racism discussions in the classroom Sleeter is addressing. She states "students posited that teachers avoided in-depth discussions of race and racism out of fear that the Black students would react violently". This confirms the deep rooted segregation and prejudice within our society and educational system.

Additionally, I saw the alarming representation of white privilege throughout this entire article. Sleeter states "informal discussions with White adults suggest that they base their evaluations of textbooks on comparisons with those they used when they were in school, rather than on comparisons with ethnic studies literature (which most White people have not studied)". It is sad that despite the publishers efforts in the 1970's and 1980's to make textbooks more inclusive, educators are still reverting back to what they are comfortable with. Are educators not aware that the curriculum standards prevented further representation of inclusive experiences and world views? Do they not see that the system is broken and isolating? 

Lastly, I really love the concept of ethnic studies and "allowing for multiple voices to enter dialogue constructing the narrative of this country". According to the 2023 U.S Census report, Whites alone make up 60.5% of the population. That means almost half of the population is diverse. How can the educational system deny the acknowledgement of other races and allow White's to continue to dominate story lines? Furthermore, "ethnic studies is curricula are academically based, usually designed to improve students' academic performance, and sometimes explicitly focus on university preparation". This mission should be what all educational curriculum is focused on. It's so disheartening to see the disconnect and division when the proof and research is in the pudding!

The author, Christine E. Sleeter, argues that ethnic studies is successful because intentionally designed to engage students and foster post-graduation preparedness due to offering a multicultural curricula that allows students of diverse backgrounds to feel seen and heard, as opposed to the traditional Euro-American studies curricula.