Educators, activists lobby for Hispanic studies

DENVER (AP) — When a Colorado teacher got her English language students talking and writing about the police shooting of a black teen in Ferguson, Missouri, she was able to draw parallels to events close to home.

[...] in Colorado, a government class that by state law must cover "the history and culture of minorities, including but not limited to the American Indians, the Hispanic Americans and the African Americans" has been a graduation requirement for a decade.

John Kavanagh, an Arizona state senator, said in a recent interview that students should learn about the ethnic groups that are part of America, but in general history courses, not in stand-alone classes that "tend inevitably to become highly politicized."

Stanford University researchers looked at an ethnic studies pilot started in 2012 in San Francisco, where ninth-graders were offered classes that included projects focusing on their communities, families and selves.

In 2013, Oregon state legislators passed a law calling on their Department of Education to ensure "a balanced presentation of the relevant contributions to society by men and women of African-Americans, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-American and other racial groups ...."

Curtis Acosta, who helped develop the Tucson Mexican-American studies program targeted by lawmakers in Arizona, has left the classroom and started a consulting business.

Since 2013, he has traveled to states, including California, Oregon, Texas and Washington, to help districts design ethnic studies courses and coach teachers on how to tackle tough subjects.