On Wednesday, state senators approved a proposal to encourage local schools to create task forces of area educators and tribal representatives to share local tribal history and culture, discuss issues of mutual concern and develop curriculum and classroom materials.
The measure, AB 1703, the California Indian Education Act, introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland), was approved on a bipartisan vote of 37-0. Ramos is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature.
“I’m excited that this bill is one step closer to the governor. Now it’s important for Indian country to send letters urging him to sign the bill,” Ramos said. “It’s critical that we teach all students about the diversity of California’s more than 100 tribes. Our state’s tribes each have different languages, customs, culture, and history. Without this interaction, we cannot develop the more complete and high quality curriculum we seek, and we will continue to see incidents like that involving the Riverside math teacher. AB 1703 also provides teachers with more instructional tools and forges understanding among students and between local tribal families and their children’s campuses.”
“I am proud to join Assemblymember Ramos as a coauthor on AB 1703, which celebrates and encourages the accurate teaching of the history, culture, and government of local tribes,” said Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara). “This bill will help to shine a light on the true contributions of Native American people to our state and help preserve their rich history. I look forward to the end product that will benefit all students by providing a curriculum that ensures students are academically engaged, contribute to an increase in performance on academic tests, and improve graduation rates.”
Ramos noted that presenters at an October 2021 informational hearing by the Select Committee on Native American Affairs and the Education Committee also stressed the importance for local educators to collaborate with their tribes to bring Native American history and culture into the classroom.
AB 1703 calls for curriculum and instructional materials developed by the California Indian Education Task Forces to be shared with the California Department of Education so as to assist in sharing that knowledge statewide.
The education department is one of two sponsors of the bill, along with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Johnny Hernández Jr, vice chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and chair of that tribe’s education board testified, “From a young age, we find ourselves balancing between two worlds: the world of our tribe and our ancestors, and the world we come to know through school, work, and our peers.”
He cited a movement in San Bernardino County that began in 1998 with four young fathers, Ramos among them, to collaborate with San Bernardino County area schools and California State University, San Bernardino.
The group organized large-scale week-long trips of students and teachers to teach them about California Indian culture in honor of the state’s Native American Day.
Hernández added, “I am pleased to say that this model has reached tens of thousands of students, teachers, and parents in 20-plus years. It has proven so successful that we believe now is the time for tribes and the state to take the next step together to introduce this concept to all Californians.”
In addition to encouraging local engagement between tribes and schools, AB 1703 would require that local districts identify the extent of the achievement gap between Native American students and their non-Native peers and come up with strategies to close them. These findings would be submitted to the Assembly and Senate Education committees.
Legislative co-authors include Assemblymembers Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), Cristina Garcia Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), Mike Gipson (D-Carson); Alex Lee (D-San Jose); Devon Mathis (R-Visalia), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton), Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino); Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) and Senators Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara).
AB 1703 is sponsored by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and California Department of Education.
Supporters include the California Teachers Association, California Association for Bilingual Education, California Calls, California Charter Schools Association, California Native Vote Project, California State Parent Teacher Association, Californians Together, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, Tachi Yokut Tribe, Tule River Tribe, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Redlands Unified School District and Riverside Unified School District.