Page 21 - Pakistan Link - September 25, 2020

COMMENTARY
California to Make History by Mandating Ethnic Studies for High School Students
n By Faiza Zia Khan
T Newport Beach, CA
he state of California is famous for
its year round sunny weather, sandy
beaches, palm trees, but above all, the
diversity of its population. The multicultural
populace of California makes the landscape
a very colorful mosaic of
ethnic presence in the state.
Omni-present diversity
did not make way for formal
recognition in the state’s leg- briefly in the course plans the idea behind this
islature to educate students in model is to start the conversations that have
celebrating different cultural
backgrounds of Californians. Now California
is set to make history by becoming the first
state to mandate such a high school require-
ment in the nation with the passage of AB-331,
a bill that requires high school students to take
ethnic studies as a graduation requirement.
Once Governor Gavin Newson signs this bill
AB-331, the High School Ethnic Studies Bill
will become legislation once passed by the
Senate. In order for the start date of 2029-30
to be implemented California school districts
would have to offer the course in the 2025-26
school year.
The state would have to allocate and
provide additional funding to accommodate
preparation and resources for a smooth tran-
sition to the new course. Some amendments
suggest autonomy for the local school districts
or charter’s governing bodies to implement
a locally developed ethnic studies course in-
stead of a statewide model curriculum that is
being discussed and planned at the moment.
Depending on the local school districts struc-
ture and choice this would provide flexibility
to adopting a course curriculum pertinent to
the needs of the school. According to the state
completion of this Ethnic Studies course will
provide credit towards satisfying one of the
English or Social Studies courses required
for graduation. Hence, it will not add further
burden to the total course load expected to be
completed by the students.
In 2021 the State Board of Education has
to adopt the model curriculum but it has been
stated that the model curriculum is intended
to serve as a guide and not mandated to be fol-
lowed as it is. The model curriculum is an all-
encompassing guideline that puts a focus on all
students regardless of their ethnic background
or race, “... to enable a better understanding
Indian Military Admits Wrongdoing in Three Kashmir Killings
n By Aijaz Hussain
Srinagar
In a rare admission of wrongdoing, the
Indian military on Friday said its sol-
diers in Kashmir exceeded their legal
powers in the killings of three local men it
had described as Pakistani terrorists.
Colonel Rajesh Kalia, an Indian army
spokesman, said police are investigating
whether the men were actually involved in
militancy. He said the victims have now been
identified as residents of Rajouri district
whose families had filed a complaint accusing
soldiers of killing them in a staged gun-battle.
On July 18, the Indian army said its sol-
diers killed three “unidentified Pakistani ter-
rorists” in the southern Shopian area. About
a month later, three Kashmiri families in Ra-
jouri identified the victims as their missing
relatives using photographs of the bodies that
circulated on social media, and filed a com-
plaint with police.
Police ordered an investigation, and the
results have not yet been released.
“Their DNA report is awaited. Their in-
volvement with terrorism or related activities
is under investigation by the police,” Kalia
said in a statement, without explaining how
the military had identified the three men.
Kalia said an army investigation showed
the soldiers had exceeded the powers grant-
ed to them under the Armed Forces Special
Powers Act.
of others, promoting self-empowerment for
civic engagement, and fostering interpersonal
communication. The preamble recognizes that
content that challenges conventional ideals or
prompts difficult conversation may be contro-
versial.”
Not only do sample lessons and materials
take a deep dive into issues like the persecu-
tion of Native Americans, Mexican Americans
as well as their influence in shaping the state’s American Studies, Chicano Latino
political landscape and culture but also on po-
lice profiling and the bans on African-Amer-
icans. Even if these issues are touched upon
been avoided for years and create awareness in
the keen minds of high-schoolers.
Governor Newsom has already signed
a similar bill into law that requires a manda-
tory ethnic studies course to graduate from
the California State University (CSU) sys-
tem. This is slated to start from the 2021-22
academic year for students. CSU was initially
opposed to the legislation stating financial
and budgetary costs to implement the new
course requirement. They forecasted approxi-
mately $16.5 million annually in incremental
costs when this law goes into effect next year.
In lieu of the state mandated course CSU had
proposed its own ethnic studies graduation
The act gives the Indian military in
Kashmir sweeping powers to search, seize
and even shoot suspects on sight without fear
of prosecution. Under the act, local authori-
ties need federal approval to prosecute err-
ing army or paramilitary soldiers in civilian
courts. The special powers were given to the
military in 1990, a year after an armed rebel-
lion erupted in Kashmir seeking the Hima-
layan region’s independence or merger with
neighboring Pakistan, which also controls
part of Kashmir.
“Consequently, the competent disciplin-
ary authority has directed to initiate disci-
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requirement with courses ranging from social
justice to history, gender, and culture. How-
ever, this proposal was shot down by ethnic
studies faculty members and the union known
“The model curriculum remains
rooted in four foundational
disciplines of ethnic studies -
African American Studies, Asian
Studies, and Native American and
Indigenous Studies. Our schools
have not always been a place
where students can gain a full
understanding of the contributions
of people of color and the many
ways throughout history (and
present day) that our country
has exploited, marginalized, and
oppressed them... “
as California Faculty Association (CFA). CFA
hailed the signing of the legislation by New-
som as historic as calls for inclusion and diver- must empower and equip students and edu-
sity are much needed in this day and age.
plinary proceedings under the Army Act
against those found prima facie answerable,”
Kalia said. “Indian Army is committed to
ethical conduct of operations.”
Police, which usually participate in
counterinsurgency operations, said the July
18 encounter was a solo operation by the
army. The police later buried the bodies in a
remote cemetery.
The families of the young men — cous-
ins aged 18, 21 and 25 — said they went to
Shopian to work as laborers and were last
heard from on July 17.
India has long relied on military force to
These measures have been in negotiations
for years but took stronger force in the light of
recent events. The most recent push came in
the middle of nationwide unrest and protests
supporting anti-racist behavior and a need
for systemic change ignited by several racially
motivated injustices across the country.
In preparation for this bill to become
law, the California Department of Educa-
tion (CDE) has already prepared a draft of
the state’s model curriculum. According to
the California State Superintendent of Pub-
lic Instruction, Tony Thurmond, “The model
curriculum remains rooted in four founda-
tional disciplines of ethnic studies - African
American Studies, Asian American Studies,
Chicano Latino Studies, and Native American
and Indigenous Studies. Our schools have not
always been a place where students can gain
a full understanding of the contributions of
people of color and the many ways through-
out history (and present day) that our country
has exploited, marginalized, and oppressed
them. At a time when people across the nation
are calling for a fairer, more just society, we
cators to have these courageous conversations
in the classroom. I am proud to submit these
recommendations for a draft Ethnic Studies
Model Curriculum that will not only serve as
a roadmap for educators, but hopefully inspire
action across the nation,” said Thurmond.
It has been a bumpy road for this legisla-
tion as eighty groups reached out to the Gov-
ernor opposing the signing of this bill into
law. Rationale for this opposition was based
on fears that it could be a “politically charged,
polarizing, and divisive critical ethnic-studies
approach instead of favoring a multicultural
approach that celebrates and unites.”
Regardless of the criticism this bill if
reinforced into law will start a change that
gives formal cognizance to ethnic groups. It
will teach our youth of the future greater ac-
ceptance and tolerance, harmonizing co-ex-
istence with respect and admiration for each
other’s diversity one step at a time.
(Faiza Zia Khan holds a Master’s in Jour-
nalism degree from the University of Brit-
ish Columbia, Canada. She has collaborated
with news media outlets, including Global
National, and actively volunteers for several
community investment projects for the Red
Cross, United Way and the Breast Cancer
Foundation)
retain control over the portion of Kashmir it
administers and has fought two wars over the
territory with Pakistan, which also claims the
mountain region as its own.
The uprising against Indian control and
subsequent Indian crackdown have killed
tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and gov-
ernment forces.
Hundreds of thousands of Indian troops
are stationed in the region and maintain
checkpoints throughout Indian-controlled
territory.
The results of the police probe are likely
to spark an outcry among Kashmiri activists
who for years have accused Indian troops of
abusing their powers and repeatedly target-
ing civilians.
In 2000, the Indian army killed five men
it alleged were militants responsible for the
massacre of 35 Sikhs in Kashmir. An investi-
gation later found the five were local villagers
killed in a faked firefight.
In 2010, a massive uprising erupted in
Kashmir after a police investigation found
Indian soldiers had killed three civilians in
a staged gun-battle and then said the victims
were militants in order to claim a reward for
killing them. The army responded by sus-
pending two officers.
India has rejected every request since
1989 to prosecute Indian soldiers in civilian
courts in Kashmir for alleged rights abuses
including murder and rape, according to of-
ficial documents. - AP