“It’s a big con job,” President Donald Trump said during a press release with FOX News. The “con job” in question refers to the Department of Education, a government entity responsible for providing student loans and ensuring public school compliance with federal regulations. His words reflect a deliberate effort to mislead the public into believing that race-based education and the Education Department are indoctrinating children. In reality, it is necessary to have more courses that encourage critical thinking around issues like race, an opportunity students often take for granted in FUHSD.
In his latest push to dismantle the Education Department, Trump has ordered his administration to make deep budget cuts, resulting in the layoff of half their workforce. Although many conservative administrations in the past have advocated to shut down the organization, citing unnecessary spending, none have taken such a drastic step. A specific course that may be hurt by this move is Ethnic Studies — a current graduation requirement in California for the Class of 2030 — which teaches students different cultures and histories of marginalized communities.
“The Department of Education having a high chance of being dismantled trickles down to the state level,” FUHSD Board President Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto said. “My colleagues who work on committees at the state level are saying that ethnic studies, even though it’s a mandate, may not become a requirement because it’s not funded.”
Trump argues that education should be handled at the state and school board level, blaming the Education Department for “racially-indoctrinating” the youth by shaping the curriculum of race-related courses such as Ethnic Studies. He states that the Education Department is indoctrinating children without parental oversight and creating an “echo chamber” of students being coerced to accept these ideologies without question.
The truth is, the Education Department has no say in what is taught in classrooms, as those processes are up to the states and local school districts. What the Education Department does is oversee student loan programs, enforce federal protections for marginalized students and provide essential funding for courses like Ethnic Studies.
The aggression toward courses like Ethnic Studies reflects a broader effort to control the way history and race are discussed in the classroom. Under the guise of fighting indoctrination, Trump’s administration attempts to erase uncomfortable truths in American history. Discussions of systemic racism and lived experiences are labeled as divisive, ignoring the fact that Ethnic Studies encourages critical thinking instead of singular viewpoints.
“The job of a teacher is not to teach you what to think, but how to think,” former Ethnic Studies and current social studies teacher Luca Signore said. “If you’re teaching a course like Ethnic Studies, it has to come from a place of objectivity and different points of view, not broad, sweeping statements of ‘this is right, this is wrong.’”
Originally used as an academic framework in higher education to explain how systemic racism is integrated in legal and social structures, critical race theory has been improperly characterized as a radical ideology. By making the course seem like a threat, the far-right is trying to justify banning discussions of race in K-12 education. Dismantling the Education Department is a step in that plan, a reflection of an ideological battle they have chosen to prioritize over educational integrity.
“A lot of topics are more nuanced, meaning they have to be observed from a variety of different points of view,” Signore said. “That’s what makes ethnic studies such a controversial subject. Given the fact that we’re talking about real people, real events, it shouldn’t turn into just a pontification of ‘this is the way you should see it’. That’s not what education should be.”
Using the argument of keeping critical race theory out of schools misunderstands both the Education Department and the Ethnic Studies course itself. Ethnic Studies is a space for students to “examine the complexities of identity — their own and others’ — to develop awareness of personal and community connections to local and global histories and to foster empathy.” It is the only course on campus where students have the opportunity to explore their own historical backgrounds in a flexible curriculum adjusted to student identities.
“There’s a lot of acceptance,” junior Alessandra Wong said. “In the Ethnic Studies classroom, it’s cool to be from different backgrounds. My culture feels like something that I can be proud of, and it’s encouraged for me to talk about.”
The current coursework of Ethnic Studies in FUHSD is largely up to the teachers, who agree to administer similar tests and projects, with daily lesson plans depending on teaching style and the student pool in each class. Depending on the ethnic background of the students, the curriculum could focus more on specific cultural histories as a way to be more engaging. During class, students are able to have a safe space to talk about topics important to them. With no guidelines on what issues can be talked about, students may be exposed to controversial ideas, which can be seen by some as dangerous. With district training, teachers make a conscious effort to provide information that’s both factual and unbiased.
“We need to have conversations about global issues,” said Ricky Aguirre, UC Berkeley History-Social Science Project Academic Coordinator. “If we don’t have these conversations, then how are we going to move forward?”
Without controlled spaces to discuss controversial subjects such as race and cultural identity, teachers lose the ability to guide students into becoming objective thinkers. This flexibility is limited in other history classes, making Ethnic Studies a unique opportunity for students to discuss a diverse combination of cultures.
“[The course] gives space to traditionally underrepresented people,” Assistant Principal David Erwin said. “It’s important to go back to where they come from, ethnically and religiously, and give voice to people that maybe don’t have that voice.”
Discussion on international historical conflicts is also a highlight of the course. While proposed bills like AB 1468 have threatened the openness of the Ethnic Studies curriculum, the discussions prevail as a critical component of the course to encourage empathy in students. Ethnic Studies teachers serve as mediators, stepping in when the conversations stray from peaceful and academic. Then, educators ask students to reflect before jumping back into the discussion.
“Part of that reflection piece at the end is to think about, ‘if my position prevailed, what are other people gonna have to give up?’” Aguirre said.
As the Education Department remains under threat by the Trump Administration, these spaces for open discussion are at risk, making Ethnic Studies all the more important.
“Teaching critical thinking isn’t easy, but students will have to learn how to face tough societal questions, and they should do so in a structured classroom environment rather than through social media echo chambers,” FUHSD Board Trustee Danny Choi said.
Ethnic Studies is a critical space for students to discuss their identities safely and with guidance. While the fate of Ethnic Studies remains a tumultuous battle, students should continue to sign up for the course to broaden their worldview and dive deeper into their own ethnicities. Moreover, students should attend board meetings where this course is discussed to show support. To encourage open communication, it is important for students to stay informed, even if it means learning about uncomfortable news.
