Ramona Unified trustees agreed to start a new Ethnic Perspectives in Visual Arts class next school year and to pilot instructional materials for a psychology course and fire technology courses.

The vote in favor of the ethnic visual arts course was 4-0-1, with Trustee Maya Phillips abstaining after her proposal to add some modifications to the course description were not supported by the other trustees.

The Ethnic Perspectives in Visual Arts course for grades 9-12 was reviewed by high school and district administrators, visual arts teachers and a Multi-Cultural/Ethnic Studies Committee consisting of community members, parents and staff before it was presented to the school board, according to a staff report.

“The purpose of all multicultural courses offered in Ramona Unified School District is to help students understand and appreciate the diverse society in which they live,” the course description states.

“As students in this course learn about the connection of art to the societal, cultural and historical contexts of each group’s experiences, their understanding and appreciation of and empathy for various cultures will deepen, and their personal critical thinking, written and communication skills will grow stronger.”

The course was developed to accommodate students who transfer into Ramona Unified during their junior or senior year who may not have met the Ethnic Studies graduation requirement mandated for the Class of 2030 and beyond. While Ramona Unified students typically fulfill the Ethnic Studies requirement through the revised English II or English II Honors course, an alternative option is necessary for transfer students, the report stated.

The course satisfies not only the Ethnic Studies graduation requirement, but also the Visual and Performing Arts graduation requirement, as well as the requirement for A-G courses, which are required for admission to the University of California and California State University systems.

Trustee Rodger Dohm said during the discussion that he likes the idea that students can earn credit for visual performing arts simultaneously with credit for ethnic studies.

“That’s the most brilliant thing,” he said. “We embedded it into something that is meaningful and makes sense.”

The course will look at how historically underrepresented groups in California and the United States have used visual arts to express their social, political and historical experiences, as well as their ancestral and cultural traditions and values, according to the staff report. It will also focus on understanding these marginalized cultures, including their perspectives, accomplishments, and contributions to American society, according to the course description.

Phillips said she objected to the terms “underrepresented” and “marginalized” in this description.

“I see that it says that it wants to be inclusive and be a voice for all students,” Phillips said after a motion was made to approve the course. “So if it wants to be inclusive and include everything we have to remove ‘marginalized’ and we have to remove ‘historically underrepresented’ because it would not be inclusive. It means we are excluding some that are not that.”

She also proposed striking references to Asian and Pacific Islander, Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latino/a, and American in the course description and replace them with “Americans.”

Leslie Wilson, assistant superintendent of Education Services, said marginalized groups have to be listed in the course description as part of requirements, otherwise, it would not pass the college A-G requirements.

Dohm added that a new course should also adhere to California Education Code requirements.

“They are definitely being sticklers on ‘underrepresented groups’ and calling out those particular groups,” Wilson said. “You might remember or not, this course is also an opportunity for students to reflect on their own heritage and whatever they are, in addition to learning about other groups, and that’s why that is also in there as well.”

Dohm thanked the staff and committee for drafting the course, adding he believes changes are unnecessary.

“Ultimately, I think this is about the spirit of what we’re trying to do,” he said. “When you read it, it says what we’re trying to say. Every student can identify and every student can also have understanding about ethnic groups, cultures and people in our country, and I think that’s super important.”

In other proposals, trustees heard a presentation on “piloting” instructional materials, which is a process for trying out books and materials in the classroom before they are possibly recommended for approval by the school board, for two courses – psychology in grades 11 and 12, and fire technology 1 and 3 at Ramona High School.

Teachers and administrators selected the text, “Thinking About Psychology, High School Version – 4th Edition,” published by Macmillan Higher Education, for pilot. The textbook is expected to be piloted from January 2025 through April 2025 and then reviewed for approval by the school board in May 2025.

Ramona High Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers and administrators selected two texts for fire technology 1 and 3 to be piloted during the 2024-25 school year: “Firefighter’s Handbook on Wildland Firefighting Strategy, Tactics and Safety, 4th Edition,” published by Fire Protection Publications; and “Wildland Firefighting Fundamentals, 2nd Edition,” published by Deer Valley Press.

The fire technology texts are also expected to be reviewed for approval by the school board in May 2025.

These materials are available for review at the district office and will be reviewed by the school’s Site Council.