Because People Matter

Why California Students do not understand Chicano/Latino history

By Duane Campbell

The following is the text of a presentation which Campbell gave to students at California State University, Sacramento, sponsored by the Serna Center on Nov.30,2009.

Textbooks for  California schools are selected by the State Board of Education based upon recommendations of their Curriculum Committees and the state frameworks and standards.  It is urgent that the History-Social Science Framework be revised to provide an accurate history of the contributions of Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Latinos and Asians to the history of the state and of the nation. The current Framework reflects the historiography of the 1950’s. It was written in 1986 by senior scholars, they in turn were educated in the early 1970’s or before. It is substantially out of date.

The Real Trouble With Natomas Schools

By Duane Campbell

The Sacramento Bee has its top story in the Our Region section for Sept. 24, 2009, “Troubled Natomas schools will  get county education office help,”  by Diana Lambert.  Here: http://www.sacbee.com/education/story/2205459.html
 
The article, and the headlines, miss the major points,  create a distorted frame for the story, and assign blame for the wrong problem.

The issue is that the Natomas schools have  cut their budgets by $31.2 million, and now, due to the failure of the legislature to adequately fund the schools, they must cut even more.  Natomas is not a troubled school district.  Like all districts it must respond to the draconian cuts  imposed from the state.

Arne Duncan , Kevin Johnson and Cheerleaders for Education "Reform"

By Duane Campbell

I was fortunate  to catch Bill Moyer’s Journal on PBS on Sunday, Sept.13.  Among his guests were Dr. Jim Young Kim.  Born in the U.S. and raised in Iowa, he has spent the last twenty-five years delivering health care to some the world’s poorest people including those of Haiti, Africa, and Asia.  He will now take a position as President of Dartmouth University.

His discussion pointed out that improving health care delivery required the participation of the doctors, nurses, and medical workers, and community members in their communities—it does not come from the hospital/health care industry.   His talk reminded me of the arguments  often made before about school reform.

Students Rally against more fees, fewer classes

By Duane Campbell

 

  Over  400 students, faculty and staff of the California State University –Sacramento  rallied against increasing fees and cuts to their classes today, Sept.2,2009.  Across the CSU students returned to find the 2009/10 academic year offers fewer class days as faculty are furloughed, much greater difficulty  getting classes, and more limited services even as their fees have risen by one-third. 

 In response to state budget cuts to the universities,  on July 21, the California State University Board of Trustees approved a fee increase requiring undergraduate students  to pay $4,026 a year, an increase of about $1,000 over the previous year .  In the last 7 years, during the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger,  student fees at the CSU  have increased 170 %.

What's Up With Homeschoolers?

Homeschool conference comes to Sacramento

By Craig Usher

According to the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, the number of homeschooled children in the US hit over 1.5 million in 2007, a 74% jump from their 1999 figures. And while religious or moral concerns were once a top reason parents were deciding to homeschool, a January 2009 USA Today poll found that more parents cite concerns about the school environment over religion, and also list dissatisfaction with traditional schools and a desire to use non-traditional approaches as reasons they homeschool.