Cal State trustees to vote on making ethnic studies course a requirement

Associated Press

4 years ago

In this June 10, 2020 file photo, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, talks at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. Trustees of California State University, the nation's largest four-year public university system, will vote July 22, 2020 on making ethnic studies a graduation requirement. Weber, authored the legislature's bill, which could go to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk as early as the next week for his signature, her office said. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Trustees of California State University are expected to vote on making ethnic studies a graduation requirement.

If approved Wednesday, it would be the first change to the school’s general education curriculum in over 40 years and come amid the national uproar over racism and police brutality.

The 23 colleges make up the nation’s largest four-year public university system.

The state Legislature is on the verge of passing a bill with its own defined rules for ethnic studies that would overrule school leaders.

Some trustees have denounced lawmakers wading into academia.

Critics say the bill excludes courses such as Jewish studies and social justice issues.