2021-09-13 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Education
2021-09-13 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Education
(Part 2 of 2)
[PART 2]
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Yeah,
yeah, yeah.
Mhm.
Mhm. Mhm uh
uh
Mhm. Next we're going to22 hear from Roberto Humanist,
I think I saw you a moment ago.
Yes, Roberto. Yes, I can hear you. Wonderful.
[ROBERTO JIMENEZ (BTU):] Um so37 thank you to Chairs Lewis and Peisch for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Roberto Jimenez, political organizer for the Boston Teachers Union, which is supporting both these two bills. I love history growing up, I love memorizing dates and people who have made a difference learning about cultures different from my own and attempting to understand humankind's internal fight to improve the world that we live in. However, it wasn't until after college that I began to understand systems of oppression and how the centuries-long and continuing struggle of native Americans, black Americans, Latinx Americans and Asian Americans was largely erased from the history that I learned. This bill would enhance our school curriculums that we not only encourage students to learn this history, but to link it to systemic inequity and oppression in all forms and79 then to consider how they can use this knowledge to create a better tomorrow for all people.
It is an opportunity for us to come to a collective understanding of our past history and of the history that we are writing every day that passes. We can build our anti-racist practices and foster deeper interracial95 understanding in our increasingly diverse state and country. Ethnic studies is not just the right thing from a moral perspective, it is also an economic positive. Research out of Stanford shows that students who engaged in ethnic studies courses made gains in attendance and grades and the effect was especially pronounced and those who are most at risk of dropping out. When students see themselves in the curriculum and they see school as a way to grapple with the issues that affect them and their loved ones on a daily basis they become more engaged.
That leads to better outcomes for them, which means that they get better jobs, the economy improves and there are better outcomes for all of us. The BTU Ethnic Studies now committee has done a fantastic job developing curriculum for BPS and in only a few years we've grown the program significantly including the addition of an ethnic studies coordinator just last139 year. We need ways to promote the development of these programs locally through grassroots efforts because it is critical that they be tailored to each individual community. That's why I'm excited about the grant program included in this legislation because it will allow districts of foster anti-racism inequity in a way that works best for that district. If anyone on the committee would like to learn more about our work, please reach out to the BTU and we will connect you to them.
On a personal note I will also add that I'm a member of the Chelsea School Committee. This curriculum is exactly what we need to be supporting for Chelsea public168 schools. We've already started having some conversations about ethnic studies here and I'm thrilled about the opportunity that state support would bring. So thank you to all of the advocates who worked on this, to Senator Lewis, Reps Elugardo and Uyterhoeven as well as all of178 your staff for being staunch advocates in the building. Thank you.
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Thank you. Thank you so much and Roberto, thank you also for your public service on the Chelsea school committee. All the good work you do. Thank um using poke.
Using poke. Are you with us
from chinese americans of massachusetts?
Yes. Hi, Hello. They thank you. Senator Lewis. Welcome. Please go ahead.
[YE POGUE (BOWMAN SCHOOL DISTRICT):] Hello, I'm Ye OPogue. I have a PhD degree in social policy. I have been promoting inclusive curriculum in Bowman School District. The in Bowman School District. The intentional study bill is very admirable. However, after I carefully study the bill, I do not support it in its current form. The sponsoring coalition care defense ethnic study analyzing how power of oppression236 impact people's lives also defined as anti239 racism as recognizing one's racial privilege. We're seeing a recent society. However, learning history through the lens of one's race create division among students on a psychological level. Students will253 be told to see the same events through the lens of their one race and skin color for example, Chinese Inclusion Act white students will see their group as oppressors and Asian student will see themselves as oppressed.
Students will think differently and jump different conclusions based on nothing but the color of their skin in a way is a psychologically segregated classroom. It will foster guilt, pity and resentment rather than empathy, respect and understanding across ethnic groups. Ethnic studies should inspire students who see themselves the area ethnic group, even their ancestors are enemies. We're all human beings with similar dreams and fears. We learn lessons even from our enemies. My colleague and I have a finished curriculum to share with you. It teaches American history through the lens of common humanity and truthfully covered that part of American history. I urge you to send the bill to study and adopt of common humanity ethics study directly. Thank you.
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Thank you, Miss pug. Um Next, we'll hear from Vivian tongue.
Vivian tongue.
Are you with us Miss tom.
Okay. Um Chairman, she's you're muted. Vivian Sorry, are you saying that he in sancti F E N G. Uh Oh, the spelling that I have is tuong. So I'm sorry. Maybe we think that somebody else that's somebody else. Ok. All right. Um so we're gonna we'll move on then to um Deb Oswaldo and I see her on my screen so I know she is with us. Welcome. Deb
[DEB GESUALDO (MEA):] [HB584] [SB365] Good afternoon Chairs Lewis and commission members of the Joint Committee on Education. My name is Debbie Jesualdo and as a public school educator in Maldon and President of the Maldon Education Association. I'm testifying on behalf of the educators who are members of the MEA in support of House Bill 584 and Senate Bill 365. An act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice and education and request that they be reported out of committee as written favorably as soon as possible. The work of public education is one of the most important types of work that exists and people all over the Commonwealth put their profound trust in educators, school leaders and school districts. As an educator I know and believe that it is our solemn mission to fulfill the promise of public education, to prepare each and every one of our students to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.
But421 we cannot fulfill that promise until and unless what we do in our public schools reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of all of428 the learners in our schools across the Commonwealth. Public education is a cornerstone of democracy and a public education that is well rounded and diverse will give our students the skills they need to be informed, involved, actively engaged in compassionate members444 of our representative democracy. Public education that is intentionally thoughtful, equitable and inclusive, will ensure that we are providing our students with an education that develops their potential interdependence and character passing this bill will be a big step toward creating a458 more just society because we will be respecting all of our learners and in turn, each student will be learning to build respect for the dignity, equality and worth of every single human being in our diverse society.
I respectfully ask that you invest in fulfilling the vision of great public schools for every student by reporting out favorably on House Bill 584 and Senate Bill 365 as soon as possible. Our public education system and our students will benefit immeasurably from the creation of a commission for anti-racism and equity in education. Thank you so much.
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Thank you very much. Thanks for testifying and thanks for your leader, strong leadership of the Maldon Education Association. Um Next we're going to hear from Helen Yang, Miss Yang, are you with us?
Right. Hi, yes, please go ahead.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much
[HELEN YANG (AAER):] [HB584] [SB365] Chair Lewis, Chair Peisch and members of the Joint Committee on Education. This is Helen Yang, Vice president of the Asian Americans for Equal Rights. I'm testifying against H584 S365 because this bill fails to define the learning objectives. \First of all, the Asian Americans for Equal Rights agrees with the importance of teaching inclusive history and social studies in K-12, and we have been working hard to advocate for it. However, ethnic studies can mean different things to different people and this bill does not define the learning objectives. So we do not know which kind of um ethnic studies we're getting into. Here are two examples to show the contrast.
The first example is a learning objective of the constructive ethnic studies, for example, it says, it enables students of color to see themselves in history and social studies. It confronts racism and bigotry with a range of possible solutions and enable students to become motivated and engaged community members. I support this wholeheartedly. The second example is from an organization called Care. It stated learning objectives include recognized own privileges within racist society, understanding how policy upholds white supremacy and confronting racism heads on. The study of race, ethnicity in in the community, focusing on the experience of BIPOC in the US, analyze how power and oppression, as well as the construction of race and racism impact our lives by defining our country as a racist society and dividing people into the oppressors and oppressed based on their skin color.616
It pits one group against another and promotes victimhood, victimhood in people of color. This is counterproductive and outrageous dangerous. This approach is often called the critical ethnic studies. So the real question is, what kind of learning objectives are we having for for our K through 12 students? What kind of mindset do we want to build? We have to agree with on this first. We respectfully request the committee to send this bill to study to clarify on the learning objectives. Thank you so much. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony. Um let's see, next we have Pamela cash Pamela cash.
Are you with us Pamela cash?
Okay, um next Mabel, um are Mabel um are
regina Keynes?
Regina Keynes C A I N E S.
Okay, you konczal
yukong Zhao Z H A. O and apologies folks by708 the way, if I mispronounce uh anybody's name, I'm so sorry.
Okay. Uh next we have Emily Style. Emily style, are you with us?
I am. Can you hear me? Go ahead please.
[EMILY STYLE (NAITONAL SEED PROJECT):] [HB584] [SB365] Okay, greetings to all and as an educator for over 50 years and the founding co-director of the National Seed Project seeking educational equity and diversity that's based at the Wellesley College Centre for Women. Now, in its 35th year, I salute the work that has gone into the architecture of H584 and S365. I appreciate how historically informed and pragmatically astute It is including that public school teachers and school districts will have voluntary access to grant-funded professional development to ensure its ongoing implementation respecting their front line work is a key ingredient. As I wrote in my 1988 essay curriculum787 as window and mirror. It is essential for curriculum to function both as window and as mirror to reflect and reveal most accurately both a multicultural world and the student herself or himself.
If the807 student is understood as occupying a dwelling of the self, education needs to enable the student to look through window frames to see the realities of others and into mirrors to see her or his own realities reflect knowledge of both types of framing is basic to833 a balanced education, committed to affirming the essential dialectic between the self and the world. In other words, education engages us in the great conversation between various frames of reference. Now, more than 30 years later in 2021, it is heartening to note that the efficacy of window and mirror understanding which is also popularised by861 scholars Rudin Sims Bishop and Grace Lin is already in wide use inside school. I know first hand the wisdom peer-led professional development of teachers working alongside seed Founder Peggy McIntosh whose 1989 invisible Knapsack Paper has proven durability for advancing equity understanding in the way it unpacks racism.
In 2004, Massachusetts led the way in establishing marriage equality. My hope is that we will do the same in establishing a firm foundation for educational equality, working to bring the democracy of our country ideals further into the actual schooling experience of today's students. Thank you so much. It is an honor to be with all the voices here and the good work of this committee.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay, thank you very much and thank you for your long standing uh work and and leadership in this in this area. I didn't know about your the origins of the um uh windows940 and mirrors framework and that was that was very interesting. Um Next we're gonna hear from Zain recruit Zain recruit from Mystic Valley and the Naacp I'm here. Senator Lewis, can you hear me? Yes, I can hear you go ahead,
[ZANE CRUTE (NAACP MYSTIC VALLEY AREA):] Thank you so much for the time. My name is Zane Thomas Crute here representing the Mystic Valley Area branch of the NAACP. I'm the president. So I'm speaking on behalf of the branch. It is more and I'm speaking in favour of the bill. It is more now evident than ever that students across the Bay State it enhanced understanding of ethnic studies, racial justice, decolonising history and unlearning racism. These essential topics are not going to teach themselves. We cannot put the onus solely on individuals doing their own research as our schools prepare the next generation to be able to function in society as good citizens one needs to understand that these topics are of the utmost importance as the president of the Mystic Valley area branch of the NAACP and an officer of the State Conference of the NAACP.
I do my part to educate adults on1010 anti-racism. It is amazing and laudable that adults want to learn more and do their part to improve the world, but we cannot wait until everyone becomes an adult. for this It has become increasingly hostile in this world with people not understanding the history1025 of African Americans in the United States. People violently attacking Asian Americans, People storming our nation's capital and people want to do everything in one's power to keep immigrants specific, specifically those of color out of the country. Improving the school curriculum to guard against this is1042 absolutely necessary. We cannot leave this necessary information to be segregated only to AP courses or advanced readings. Cultural competency, which includes anti-racism must be woven into all subjects from an early age including literature, mathematics as well as social studies and science.
One having a better understanding of all people is integral for one's education as one wants to be both a good corporate citizen and be a contributing member to American society. One needs to understand to not assume that black students cannot be brilliant or black students are only you know somewhere due to something that's not academic. While we work on closing the gap and adding more educators of colour, we want to make sure our next generation is better than those who came before them. Students being well1098 versed in a variety of history ranging from slavery to the holocaust to the Chinese exclusion act, internment camps, stop busters, King Leopold the second pillaging of the Congo in the civil rights era is necessary.
It's elementary people need to be well versed in all1114 of this. We owe our children more. We owe our ancestors more. This bill is1119 about giving all students a chance to to get the windows and mirrors in schools they deserve. Thank you very much for your consideration.
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Thank you very much.1132 Mr Cruz. Next, we're gonna hear from shore yang or yang. Please go ahead.
[SHAW YANG (CONQUER MAS:] Hi. Hi Senator Lewis. Thank you. I'm Shaw Yang from conquer Mas. I immigrated to America from Taiwan when I was 10 years old and entered 5th grade to the public school. Like many new immigrants, I have a straddled between two different worlds and cultures which is very1159 challenging and confusing. I went through phases of questioning whether I was Chinese American without any guidance. There was nowhere to learn that Asian Americans are integral part of our American society. Quite the opposite in fact the stories of Asian American citizens, citizens were ignored by the established education curriculum. So I went through many years struggling to identify myself and felt incorrectly that I need to choose one culture. In hindsight, I was fortunate enough to eventually figure out that I was, I'm both 100% Chinese and 100% American. So in fact I benefited from the best of both worlds.
I worry that without any guidance many immigrants will not be will not be as fortunate as I was. If they do not feel that they belong to our country as Americans, how will they be able to contribute fully to our society? Teaching vhildren from different ethnic schools that they belong that they are American1222 no matter where they're from will result in a much stronger, healthier and brighter society. I also believe that this bill will improve our competitiveness competitiveness in an increasing global world. Our economy, travel,l communications, environment are all getting more global by the day. Our children needs to be better prepared to understand and appreciate different cultures if we want America to thrive with the forces of global change, we need to invest now to prepare our children for the new world for this new world. This bill is a very cost-effective way to make that change at an early and fundamental level. I urge you to report this bill out of committee favorably. Thank you for your attention.
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Great thank you very much. Um Now we're going to hear from Professor Paul Watanabe. Professor Watanabe, thanks for your patience by the way for sticking around until this point in the hearing.
[PAUL WATANABE (UMASS BOSTON):] I want to thank the committee chairs and the members of the committee for their time and their acknowledgement of the voices that you've heard today. And I want to just begin by saying, I just began by 43rd year as a professor at UMass Boston, a professor of political science in my 26 years, the founding director of the Institute for Asian American studies at UMass Boston, which I'm proud to say I sit alongside the Trotter Institute, the Gastone Institute and the Institute for New England Native American studies to provide a unique capacity at the University of1315 Massachusetts Boston. It is only one of the university in America that has four freestanding institutes that focus on the major racial groups that's in the United States.
UCLA is the only other institutions as its capacity and and to understand that my recent involvement with the my institute and the others have been involved in work on dealing with ethnic studies with the Boston public schools and we work with the and the BTUs ethnic studies now program and we've developed a course syllabi in all of the areas of ethnic studies and we've done professional development in a training called Boston through a wider lens that teachers in that system have been been able to avail themselves up. I want to speak not so much to the to the need for this legislation which suspends so eloquently effectively focused on by others, but to some of the specifics of the legislation itself. Why in my mind it is critical it is a critical accompaniment to have the commission to proposals to deal with anti-racism, inclusion, ethnic studies and others that you've heard so so uh from so many other discussions today on other pieces of legislation.
And why the sensitive, critical and contentious issues can in fact be discussed and dealt with by the commission. Clearly, it is necessary that they require care and training and expertise around content and pedagogy and that's the purpose of the commission to have much of these discussions that we've heard here for and against about learning the Japanese, about frameworks, about content pedagogy that we should work some of these things out before we attempt to impose mandates on anybody or required the implementation of anything. These things are of great concern and it's care is going to be required and doing and we should not have a rapid1428 implementation or mandate without these discussions taking place in someplace.
And we should allow for pilots and we should allow for the alignment, make sure that things line with standard and the great and age-appropriate material is provided and that the legislation also provides funds and it requires the state to put up some money, but it also allows the commission itself to raise money on its own to grants and funds to support its effort to indicate the commitment of the public to these efforts and that the stakeholders are many. They include experts. They include students, they include parents, they include people from the bureaucracy, they include people from the teachers' unions, they include people from the superintendents and school administrators. All these stakeholders are to bar together before we implement anything to support that we saw that we do it wisely and carefully in all this.
And while there may be different views about how to undo racism, there should not be any disagreement about the need to do it. That's one thing that all these people that brought into this argument hopefully today, even those who have raised questions about have said that they are in favor of undoing racism. There is a need for economic and educational and racial justice. Let me just end this by combating bigotry and hate, understanding errors and injustices, but also recognizing achievements, diversity and contribution. Combating invisibility for students of all races and liberating and affirming them. That's what we're talking about. We're not talking about blaming individuals. We're talking about looking at processes.
1518 This is not to put any student on, on notice that they are responsible for anything, but look at forces that stand behind the racism that exists within the country. And1527 I urge people to support this legislation is accompaniment to some of the fine things that are being suggested in another piece of the legislation that are before the legislature. Thank you very much.
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Great. Thank you so much appreciate your testifying in your longstanding leadership at U Mass boston on on these, on these important issues. Um next, we're gonna hear from Zied Ortiz.
What are you with us?
Okay, this Ortiz.
Um, do we have the easing?
Yes, I am here. Thank you. Senator. Great. Please go ahead.
[ZENG ZIYI (MASS YOUTH FOR CARE):] [SB365] [HB584] Hi um1585 hi everyone. My name is Ziyi Billy Zeng and I am one of the co-founders of Mass Youth for Care, a statewide youth coalition spreading awareness about bills um, S365 and H584 and I'm also a 20 2021 graduate of Maldon High School This past Friday I watched the newly released Shang Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings with my family as a Chinese American who immigrated here when I was three years old. It was the first time that I that I really felt represented on a big movie screen and proud to be Chinese American seeing part of my culture being shown. Passing bills S365 and H584 will allow students of colour to feel the same pride I did this past Friday night. Massachusetts needs a curriculum inclusive of windows and mirrors, which allows students of color to take pride in their cultural heritage.
The Eurocentric narrative that I have grown accustomed to all my life often distorted my own ability to understand who I am as the Chinese American. It also reinforced model minority tropes, which harms all students1638 regardless of backgrounds. Students spend so much of their lives growing up in classrooms and is and it often in these spaces that they begin to discover who they are. Classrooms have a real impact on growth in activity development. We need to ensure that students are learning about their own cultures, but also1654 other students' cultures to promote a cross-cultural understanding an appreciation for the unique perspective students bring to the classroom. These diverse experiences are what makes us unique and special and those1664 identities should be celebrated and taught not hiding in the shadows.
Our Massachusetts schools have a responsibility to ensure our students feel included and safe, which is what1673 bills S365 and H584 aim to do. Diversity, equity and inclusion mean nothing if we cannot implement ethnic studies and equitable teaching and hiring practices into the school culture. With the growing racial diversity of the Commonwealth, a better understanding of the many diverse experiences of our students will foster more, more cultural inclusive and robust educational experience. I strongly encourage members of the Joint Education Committee today to think about the importance of our public1698 education system, not just on our future college and job prospects but also on a role as future leaders in global citizens. The positive effects of a truly inclusive curriculum will greatly enhance the prospects of all students regardless of their ethnicity and give us all the stronger foundation. Thank you.
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Great thank you so much, billy, it's great to see you1719 and I really appreciate all the are student leaders and our student voices uh in this in this effort um Next we're gonna hear from erin all of Haiti SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
um no erin can't make it until three, so I don't know if he will be able to make it. He had sort of1727 a window of class but um comes in later, you know, we'll hear from him, he has like billy wonderful testimony. Okay, Alright. I strongly suspect we will still be here at 3:00. Okay. Vivian saying um there you are, All right, thanks for being patient and1745 europe now and I think I've1748 unloaded Yes,
[VIVIAN TSENG (CARE):] Good afternoon, my name is Vivian Tseng. I am testifying on behalf of CARE, the Coalition for Anti-racism, Equity and Justice Education in support of these bills. CARE was formed to support the passage and meaningful implementation implementation of these bills because we're passionate about making life better for the children of the Commonwealth and because we love democracy. Both goals are well served by making ethnic studies and anti-racism part of the public school K through 12 education in an age-appropriate manner with the composition that looks like1784 the people have become well1785 and includes the education professions at all levels as well as parent organizations. The commission created by this legislation will gather the input of our communities and the expertise and practical experience of our educators to ensure our public schools deliver educational justice for all.
The commission will centralize scholarship and resources, act as a clearinghouse of idea, collect and consolidate the work and learning currently siloed in different schools, classrooms and universities. This legislation creates a trust fund to provide adequate resources from public appropriations and private philanthropy. Rather than unfunded mandates an up and model of funded pilot program, studies and professional development resources what we put in place to support the work of the local school districts. The fund will act as an important vehicle for public-private partnership. Yes, all of1843 Massachusetts students can be reflected in our public school curriculum. We can finally equalize educational justice in the Commonwealth. Educational justice will provide the foundation for the civic cohesion sorely missing in today's politicized polarized environment. This is the way reporting this legislation out of committee favorably is a sure way to getting the US and us back into USA.1875 Thank you so much.
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Great, thank you very much just saying um next we're gonna hear from my do, why are you there?
I'm sure she wants to testify because I know how much work she1893 has done on this legislation, but maybe she, maybe she's not with us right now. My do.
All right. Maybe she'll be joining us later. Um, Jacob Pettigrew,
Jacob Pettigrew, yep high, Please go ahead.
Jacob. I don't think we can hear you right now.
Can you hear me now? Is this better? Perfect. Sorry about that. I apologize.
[JACOB PETTIGREW (MASS YOUTH FOR CARE):] [HB584] [SB365] Um, thank you Committee chair members. My name is Jacob1944 Pettigrew. I use the he series and I am a co-founding member of Mass Youth uh Mass Youth for Care along with Billy. A diverse group of dedicated youth advocates working to pass Bill H584 and S365 an act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice and education. given the discrimination, misinformation and hate crimes are at an all-time high. Now, more than ever, there is a distinct need for us citizens, the citizens of our country to become more educated about topics of societal injustices and racial inequity. Unfortunately, our school systems are not acting as sources of that vital information and as Mr. Crute previously mentioned, the ever-growing population of BIPOC students lack the windows and mirrors that they need in order to feel recognized and represented in their education.
A major need in this area along with the recruitment of retention of BIPOC teachers is to develop a non-Eurocentric non-Eurocentric historical education1991 so the diverse students of Massachusetts can learn something about the truth about their histories and foster an understanding of each other's culture. This kind of education is something that I wish I had received as it would have allowed me to understand and empathize with my closest friends and my peers. However, because of being subsumed by the shrinking but still monolithic majority populations, culture and history students from all backgrounds leave school with an incomplete and oftentimes incorrect understanding of the world around them, leading to further ignorance, societal turmoil and division. The commission as mentioned in the bills is a necessity as it will create stronger global citizens starting at the foundational level.
With 18 different members appointed through a diverse board of statewide commissions and community organizations focused on anti-racism and equity students are given recognition through representation of members that look like them and are able to speak from firsthand experience through empathy and not sympathy. And one key result of this commission would be the students gain an accurate overview of global history history from a decolonized ones. This past academic year has highlighted the social inequities that exist in our classrooms with the help of the Massachusetts House of2057 Representatives we can finally attack these inequities at their root, our education with that said, we hope you'll consider2064 voting this bill out of committee favorably as it will bridge the gap between our classrooms and the outside world. Ultimately creating a more informed and more empathetic population. Thank you for your time.
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Okay, great. Thanks so much. Jacob really impressed both you and billy and the other students who are raising your voices and and being such effective advocates. Thank you. All right. I see my dude. So um, it's great to see you and please go ahead and testify
[MAI DU (CARE):] [HB584] [SB365] Thank you um many thanks to chair Peisch and Chair Lewis and other members of the committee for this opportunity to testify in strong support for House 584 and Senate 365. My name is Mai Du. I'm one of the co-founders of CARE, Coalition for anti-racism and educate and equity. It was not until college that I had the opportunity to see myself, my community, my history, be taught in an ethical studies class. As often share in the field of education of ethnic studies, quote no history, no self but no N-O history, no self unquote. We have heard over and over again the desperate plea for decolonized curriculum that would reflect students of color's personal experiences, celebrate their histories and resilience and uplift their sense of self and belonging.
That's why I strongly believe in the implementation of ethnic studies in our schools. According to many researchers, incorporation of ethnic studies improve students performances and attendance. More inclusive curriculum will prepare not just2154 students of color, but all students to be able to successfully navigate the diverse global community. My community worked with teachers over the years has shown that only a small handful of teachers, administrators have the skills and tools to design and implement curriculum that are rigorous, relevant and responsive to our students diverse needs. Many educators continue to teach just that they have been taught with a Eurocentric curriculum and compliance-focused instruction. While many other fields have made major advances and improvements, many of our classrooms today still look like classrooms2185 from a century ago.
To provide what our students need to be successful in the 21st-century global economy, our students desperately need our curriculum and instruction to catch up to them and their needs. Our coalition has had many positive exchanges with members of DESI. We agree that our state needs improve upon our current practices uh to move forward educational equity and educational Justice. Miss Jessica likes external partnerships, director of the DESI Commissioner's office has shared that she2216 and other colleagues openly invite any legislator to reach out to them for questions related to technical implementation issues pertaining to this bill. The proposed CARE trust fund will allow for the much-needed resources to both support and encourage deeper work collaborations and best practices at all levels to2234 promote an equitable and just education for Massachusetts students.
The fact that the trust fund will accept accept both public and private dollars really proves that the supporting the responsibility to actualize this vision is equally shared by many. In addition, we2248 feel some fortunate of their opera dollars should fund this collisions work to equalize education justice in response to the pandemic. The sheer fact that we have so many people coming to support this bill from all over the state means that there is such a high level of confidence for Massachusetts to see that this bill is a success. The legislation represents a lifelong dream for me but it can and should become a cherished and permanent reality for the generations of students to come. Thank you.
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Thank you. Thank you so much. My it's great to hear from you and we so appreciate your strong leadership for this for this legislation. Thank you. Um Raul Fernandez, you are up next.
[RAUL FERNANDEZ (BOSTON UNIVERSITY):] Hello thank you chairs Lewis and Peisch uh thank you as well to um Senator Lewis as well as representatives Elugardo and Urytorhoeven for bringing these bills forward um Dr. Raul Fernandez from Boston University faculty member there as well as the vice-chair of the select board in Brookline but speaking today really as an as an educator about these issues um and you know we really do have a problem here and we also have an opportunity and I'm glad to to support these bills as well as the bills on civics um LGBTQ plus2327 inclusion. Um native inclusion and other forms of cultural inclusion uh in our education and we're glad to see this all taken together in honor of this fashion as representative Elugardo mentioned earlier. Um I've been teaching for quite some time of thousands of students including hundreds in a course called Diversity and Justice and Education, which is a graduate student course that I teach at the College of Education Human Development.
Um and I can tell you um, these are graduate students that have been to college elsewhere and and many years of education prior to that, and I've had students tell me that my class is the first time that they've actually had a meaningful conversation about race or economic differences or other forms of differences in their lives. Uh and I think that is um that really shows us that our education system at this point is really doing a great disservice to our students. Um, you know, we see that in, you know, what I call the racial dialogue gap that is our ability to talk about issues related to race and racism across race and we have other dialogue gaps as well. Um, part of that is due to the intensely segregated nature of our where we live, but also our school system still, um, you may know in our country today we are as segregated.
Our public school system is as segregated today as it was about 50 years ago. So we have much work to do there, but it's also about what we teach and don't teach in our schools, um and the type of pedagogy that2412 we bring to the classroom or don't, uh, and you know, as as one of many needed interventions, these bills would help address those issues. Um, you all as legislators as I have on the2424 Brookline select board certainly encountered situations where uh, you're across the table2431 trying to figure out what the right policy is and you2434 realize that the other person you're, you're speaking with doesn't actually have the same knowledge you do doesn't actually have the same knowledge you do in many cases about the history and foundations of this very country.
And so it's important that at the youngest ages and of course in age-appropriate ways we start to engage young people with understanding the history of this country and not just the parts that we include, um, in the in the pledge of allegiance or in the singing of the national anthem, but those parts that we're not so proud of, parts that in many ways we may be ashamed of but are nevertheless really important to engage with. So we can.
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mr Fernandez.
[FERNANDEZ:] Okay, I'll just say that that I really support these bills as an opportunity to engage in transforming our, you know, our society, not just thinking about it from education and also what it means for policy and practice. Thank you.
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Thank you so much and I'm very sorry to, to interrupt you. I have been a bit lax recently and enforcing the time limit. Um, but again, I'm going to have to really do that. Um, and I apologize in advance for cutting folks off but we have so many people that we still need2505 to get through and to be fair to everyone who is taking the time to testify before us, we need to kind of keep moving. Um2513 All right, so um, we're next, we're2522 gonna2522 hear from loose lucy a column, borrow2525 lucy a column borrow.
All right. Oh, I see you. High. Hi um,
[LUCIA COLOMBARO (ETHOS EVOLUTION INSTITUTE):] Good day, thank you to all the Education Committee legislators and chairpersons, Peisch and Lewis for hearing my testimony. My name is Lucia Colombaro. I am a Boston resident and the founding director2545 of the Ethos Evolution Institute which2547 engages in research and practice unveiling passed towards healthy human development for all at the intersection of character, community and nature. I am here to express my support for the act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice and education for both the Senate and the house and um the Commission for anti-racism equity and education will create a body and down with the capacity to meet the educational demands and challenges all of the other speakers have so eloquently described today. I strongly support this legislation toward this end and I also echo Representative Elugardo's omnibus recommendation for other legislation she pointed to to be included. Thank you.
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It's thank you very much and really appreciate your powerful and succinct testimony. Um, Dawn wang is next Miss wang.
Dawn wang are you with us?
Okay, Corey McCarthy Laurie McCarthy,
I am here. Can everybody hear me? Yes, please go ahead. Okay, thank you very much.
[CORY MCCARTHY (EVERETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS:] [SB365] [HB584] It's truly an honor. My name is Cory McCarthy and I am the chief equity officer at the Everett Public schools. I'm here in support of Senate Bill 365 and House Bill 584. I'm thankful for those who spoke before me in favor of the bill um, and gave multiple perspectives, but I'm going to give a different one. Um, I'm a black man and every day I walk with the confidence and conviction that and I almost suffered many deaths to have such courage. Um, I know that my intellect and sometimes my desire for anti-racism and social justice has been a threat to others in the past. But with your help we could build a bridge that leads to liberation. I support this bill because curriculum policies, licensure criteria, professional development must be interrogated with scholarship um, to improve outcomes for all of our students.
Teaching our educators and students to be anti-racist is a part is a part of our commitment to the truth with the absence of truth-telling courses in school spaces that embrace identity or even an effort to make America feel like home for so many of us has threatened. I encourage you to move forward on this bill on both of these bills because as a2691 victim of racism, this it alleviates the work and the burden pressed upon folks of color who championed this work. As an educator I have seen the true save lives of so many people who look like me. Research has led me as a leader to discover that when people2705 of color excel academically, financially, and equitably, folks of all races thrive. Education is liberation and2713 with your help so many students, educators and families will witness another step towards justice for for our children, for our scholars who are who are dying within the body of stereotype.
Teams who grow into adults are desperate because poverty has been so abusive to their community. Our children grow up feeling unworthy and oftentimes invisible and it is time to make them feel seen, awakened and justified when they look in the mirror only to witness their own greatness their path to success should be illuminated by the very dream so many before have died and worked hard for. So dig deep into your and evaluate your morals, your values and see how they could hurt or help children when we make and make the right decision to move forward in the direction for your own children will be able to thank you for one day. We are advocating for anti-racism not to change in this matter the forces racism.
We are pushing for the agency, the navigational tools, the bandwidth for scholars to discern their place in this world as champions for humanity, engaging the justice work, hold hands with fairness and opportunity and embrace a chance that is destined to change the quality of life all learners and citizens, please report this bill out of committee favorably. Thank you so much.
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Great, thank you Mr McCarthy and thank you for all the good work you're doing in the in the effort public schools. Um, let's go next to zero artie's. I think Mr Ortiz is on.
Are you there Zeta?
Yeah, I see you. I think you're still muted.
Okay, sorry, I'm getting this on an ipad because my computer is so I apologize for the Discombobulation. Give Me two seconds.
[ZAYDA ORTIZ:] Thank you so much again, Jason for having us. And and thanks to the sponsors of this bill, A well-rounded education is the foundation for a strong democracy and an engaged population and that's something that I've2835 been advocating for for the last Um 10 years. The2838 creation of this committee would be charged with creating an ethnic studies program that benefits all of our students in so many ways. I grew up on the north side of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the more south, you travel the more white and affluent, the neighborhoods became like Boston in the 70s when I was growing up Tulsa was trying to desegregate its school system. Their solution was to build new schools and invest in their communities of color. My educational experience was very unique.
I had more black teachers than I could count and many of the administrators, counselors and staff for people of color. The wealthy white kids were the ones who were clamoring to get a spot at Booker T Washington High School and at George Washington Carver middle school not only did we learn about carvers, prolific ingenuity and curiosity we learned about his study of crop rotation hands-on and we learned how a black scientists saved many of the farms that surrounded Tulsa during the dust bowl. I was fortunate to have educators of colour who diversify their curriculum. Mr. Barnes. My history teacher rejected teaching the trope of states rights and instead he taught us about the Massachusetts 54th. We read woman called Moses and the colour purple alongside the tale of two cities and sounding of fury.
I was uniquely prepared to see people like me and my neighbors as inventors, authors, famous orators and most importantly, educators. Multiple studies have proven when black children see teachers that look like them, they're not just more likely to graduate high school but attend college. Despite having this educational inclusive experience some of the darkest events that happened in my own neighborhood weren't covered in the curriculum. The Tulsa race riot was whispered about throughout the north side, but never taught until recent and I first learned about it when my neighbor told me something curious, climbing a tree could save my life one day because it2952 had saved his. In the past few years we have shown that when we ignore the inconvenience and the horrors of the past, we are fostering an environment for it to happen again.
Embracing the truth no matter whether it's good, bad teaching diverse insights and learning stories of other cultures and experiences reinforces what makes our country and our commonwealth strong. I ask that you report this bill out of committee favorably and bring it to a floor2980 vote and thank you all so much for this moment to speak for you in front of you.
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Great, thank you so much for your testimony and for sharing your powerful personal experience with us. Um growing up, thank you. Um jennifer O brien, you are next jennifer O brien.
Okay, um how about daniel O brien Jr Daniel O brien Jr
Susan lang lang lang Gregoire I'm sorry did not pronounce that right. Susan L. A. N. G L. O. R. I. S.
Are you with] [SB us?
Okay, um robert like likened
[ROB LEIKIND (AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE):] [HB584] [SB365] Good afternoon Senator Lewis Representative Peisch thank you very much for this opportunity. I just want to say that listening to the testimony today has been an inspiring3066 experience. Grateful for all of that. My name is Rob Leikind and I'm director of the American Jewish Committee's New England Office. My comments focus on S365 and H584 but some of the observations may be applicable to other bills being considered today. S365 and 584 speak to a vital public interest, the advancing equity and racial justice in our schools. We support its provisions for establishing curricula that more fully present our nation's history, including the persecution of marginalized communities, especially those of color. Students need to see themselves in our national communal stories.
The bill, however, raises concerns that weren't attention. To advance its purpose it creates a commission which it charges with ensuring that ethnic studies, racial justice, decolonising history and unlearning racism are taught at all grade levels using a critical approach to pedagogy that is age-appropriate. As an aspiration we support this language, however, the terms used are undefined and vague, leaving the proposed commission broad discretion to interpret their meaning and shape policy accordingly. In fact, if structured the commission would be subject to limited accountability, has no sunset provisions, would be empowered to raise funds to implement its policies and programs and could operate largely out of public view. The bill also lacks safeguards to ensure the programs and policies developed to advance racial justice3157 are consistent with basic principles of education, democratic society.
Over the past decade, there's been a concerted effort to translate ideas from otherwise legitimate academic discipline, critical ethnic studies into K through 12 curriculum. The results have sometimes been troubling. In California, such an initiative began with the legislative proposal to address racial inequities in public education and ended with a bitter public controversy that generated two gubernatorial vetoes of draft curriculum. Among the concerns expressed, the curriculum is viewed as overly ideological. For example, it emphasized self-professed left-wing revolutionaries while minimizing mainstream civil rights activists like Martin Luther King who is termed an accommodationist. He divided all people to two gathering categories of Preston of color or privileged and white while notably dismissing the relevance of other identities.
In a promoted political causes such as boycotts of Israel to train students in the arts of resistance to capitalism and colonialism. The co-chair of the committee that drafted the California curriculum has been listed as an adviser to a group of Massachusetts educators now operating model curriculum that based on available information bears a resemblance to the California program, which brings me to our central observation. There is an important conversation taking place about how to educate students to advance racial justice. Uh Stephen Shoreks uh of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators testified earlier today. This conversation concerns us all. It requires a process of serious study and debate in full public view.
We hope that the legislature will facilitate this by establishing a study commission composed of a diverse and wide community of experts and interested parties accountable to this body and the public. The legislation needs to provide for a durable plan that facilitates racial justice and inspires support across the commonwealth. I'm concerned that this bill is not structured to achieve it. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay, thank you,3286 thank you very much for your testimony. Mr Bacon. Um Next we're gonna hear from Aden Kearney
Aidan Kearney are you there
mr Kearney
john loose. Nt john loose. Nt L u c e N t E.3312
Okay, leo need Leonid Siegel,
leo need Siegel Siegel, S I G A L
Okay, francine Janko
francine Sancho,
ping zan
ping zang
Donahue pan
P A N. Yahoo pan
Greg thomas, Greg thomas
fang wang
yes ok success. Mhm Finally let's go ahead, thank you for your patience. Thank you.
[FANG WANG (CHINESE AMERICANS OF MASSACHUSETTS):] [HB584] [SB365] Good afternoon. My name is Fang Wang um I3403 go by Fang Wang by the way, I am the president of the Chinese Americans of Massachusetts. Um on behalf of my organized our organization, I am testifying opposing Bill H584 and S365 the ethnic study bill um you know as an organization, we do advocate constructive ethnic studies which would build unity and bridges of empathy, respect and understanding across ethnic groups. However, we found this bill concerning after careful examinations of its details. We noticed a certain organization will be appointed to write the ethnic curriculum with others. This is an Asian American organization. Last year they issued a statement claiming Asian Americans continue to benefit from the model minority myth3450 and our historical proximity to white privilege.
They charged the community with deep roots of anti-blackness. Not surprisingly this disparagement of Asian Americans caused outrage from the community. False negative stereotypes and divisions emerged3468 both inside and outside the Asian American community, We just cannot stress enough how important it is to create a curriculum with no political bias in a curriculum that encourages unity3481 across ethnic groups. After all, this is a curriculum that every single one of our K-12 students will be educated on. We urge the committee to send a bill to study and exam one area in great depth. How do we ensure the curriculum would be constructive and unify and with no political bias? Our organizations has a constructive ethnic studies curriculum ready to share if3506 you're interested. Together, we can embrace and celebrate our diverse heritage and common humanity. Thank you very much for your time.
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Thank you for your testimony. Miss wang mona Roy is next Oh no Roy Hi, I'm here. Okay good. Please go ahead. Great. Um bear with me.
[MONA ROY (LEXINGTON):] Um thanks for this opportunity to testify and to all. Thank you very much for working on these issues. My name is Mona Roy. I have been a resident of Lexington for over two decades serving variously as the chair of the human rights committee a member of the Indian Americans of Lexington Education Committee and a longtime board member of our special education parent advisory council and I've also served on various task force etcetera related to equity in education. I'm also a member of CARE, but I'm speaking on myself on behalf of myself today, identified variously as AAPI, a south Asian American and Indian American, a Bengali American and a Hindu American. Born in Michigan raised in South Carolina in the 70s and 80s.
I was the only Indian American girl at school. Unsurprisingly there was no thought to framing the curriculum through anything but a white Christian lens where the contributions of persons of color were erased and nonchristians, whether it be folks from Asia, the Middle East or Africa or even our own native Americans were characterised as savages, no time to talk today about the macro and micro aggressions and bullying our long term damage of people thinking you were a dirty savage definitely on your way to help. Not have made me feel oppressed if some have mistakenly suggested rather I would have been empowered and uplifted because as we tell our kids knowledge is power but at least in South Carolina I had a few black teachers and administrators who encouraged me to live to my full academic potential.
In high school where I had no teachers of color that was not the case. Fast forward my husband and I expected a very different experience for our kids in our high achieving diverse student body town. Once I never had a nonwhite teacher and the other one has only had a handful. As for the curriculum whenever anything pops up about India, Asia or even Africa, my husband and I would supplement the teaching with accurate information so at least one son would not have to suffer the broken mirrors of our childhoods but we can still not mitigate the impact of the broken windows when the curriculum is white story centered, what message does that send to all of our kids? When our cultural contributions are erased it's surprising that Asian American students get told that they're not really American?
When we see well documented educational and disparity is about discipline among racial groups is it about the kids or is it really about our own apathy? This bill establishes the commission of stakeholders so that we can build the very bridges of empathy and understanding that we3671 need to have honest conversations about our history. All students deserve honest and accurate education including information on contributions from3677 persons of color, encouraging all of our students to live to their limitless potential without identity without their identity being a barrier. Thank you for your consideration onthis matter and your hard work for our children.
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Great thank you very much Miss Roy for sharing your thoughts with us today. We appreciate it. Brandon Saad Ramos is next Brandon Saad Ramos
okay. Rush on martin.
Rush on martin,
joseph Sirianni
joseph Sirianni
linda Vieira
3733 linda.3733 Vieira
Okay on next person signed up is jane Alan
hi I'm here. Oh hi hi hi
[JANE ALLEN (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB584] [SB365] Thank you so much. Good to see you to Senator Lewis and thank you for your work and thank you Representatives Peisch and Elgurdo and um Uyterhoeven for your work and thank you to the education committee for this opportunity. Um I'm here today to speak in favour of House Bill 584 Senate Bill 365 an act relative to anti-racism equity and justice in3775 education. I'm a public health professional. I have 20 more than 203778 years of experience in my field and the American Public Health Association calls racism a public health crisis and urges states to identify multi-sectorial opportunities to advance equity and address determinants of health, including in education. One way racism as manifested in the education system negatively impacts health is through exclusionary school discipline such as suspension.
A large body of evidence examining the short and long-term effects of school discipline shows that it contributes to racial disparities in academic achievement. It reduces participation in extracurricular activities, increases risk for substance use and school dropout and contributes to the school to3817 prison pipeline by increasing like the likelihood of arrest and incarceration, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Data from 2019 - 2020 show that black students in Massachusetts are disciplined and almost three times the rate of white students and that they are almost um, there are three times as likely to be given an out of school suspension relative to their white peers. And we see substantial differences by municipality.
So, for example,3846 in Melrose, where I live, black students are nearly eight times as likely to be given and out of school suspension. In Massachusetts lsst year,3854 students of colour represented 43% of the student body and 59% of the disciplinary actions reported to the state. So I support this bill because it calls for a comprehensive a comprehensive set of actions to reduce racism in Massachusetts public schools including professional development to support racial justice practices and efforts to recruit and retain teachers and counselors of color. And I'm hopeful that this bill will be part of a comprehensive solution to eliminate racial disparities in school discipline. Thank you for your time.
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Thank you so much. Thanks jane. It was great to hear you testify and also to bring in the public health perspective also into this conversation. So thank you. Thank you. Um Great. Okay, Martha Daily is next.
Are you with us? Martha Daily?
Okay. Um let's see. Marcy cement sca. Marcy cement sca
All right. Um Merrie Najimy, its next the president of the nasty association. And I do see on my screen. So I know you're there. Hi
[MERRIE NAJIMI (MTA):] [SB365] [HB584] Hi, uh I'm I'm going to skip the platitudes to all of you Awesome legislators who got these bills because I only have two minutes, but please consider them given. So thank you for the opportunity today to testify in support of S365 and H584. The past year and a half has laid bare what many of us has known for years. The system of white supremacy is embedded with all institutions of our society, including public education manifested partly in the lack of a diverse educator workforce, in the racist outcome3971 of MCAS and in curricula that fails to elevate and affirm BIPOC communities. I felt the weight of this system as an Arab American student from Dick and jane reader to the teaching of Middle East history and conflict from an orientalist point of view. I was alienated, devalued and felt rage.
I accepted mediocrity from myself and I assure you these are similar experiences and feelings that are BIPOC students have today. It is by creating a framework that uplifts and affirms and4005 not through more on testing that BIPOC students will excel in school. Yet these experience have experiences have also informed my core belief that through our public schools the very centers of our communities, we can dismantle systemic racism, acknowledge the painful histories that have brought us to this moment and work together to build an anti-racist society. This legislation and several of the other inclusive curriculum bills here heard here today offer paths forward. This critical work will be challenged by the forces of white supremacy, but we cannot let us deter that.
I and thousands of educators who are members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and allies across the commonwealth stand with you to support this legislation and others that we heard today. So thank you.
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Thanks so much. Um we really appreciate you taking the time to be with us and to share the perspective of the yourself and the and the M. T. A. With us today? Um, shawna could scum are you with us? Shauna put kut xe Kr
Okay um Stella co Stella co
scott. Gladstone.
God Gladstone. Okay, great. Please go ahead.
[SCOTT GLADSTONE (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] Great. Great thanks. Um I fully support um the bill's efforts to dismantle racism and address the imminent danger posed by rampant disinformation in white supremacy to the integrity of our nation. I think that the book Cast by Isabel Wilkerson should be required reading by all high school students in the commonwealth, but the lessons of that book should be distilled in a way that can be absorbed in an age-appropriate manner all the way down to preschool. My one caveat is this the truth about racism in America can and must be taught without veering into anti-Semitic bias. You might ask how that might even be possible. Unfortunately, when an ethnic studies curriculum was first proposed in California, Rob Blake discuss this a little. That curriculum held out jews as a prime example of white supremacy slash privilege.
That draft curriculum used Israel, home to half of world jewelry, as an example of white European colonialism thus erasing 60% of the Jewish Israeli population that wereindigenous to Arab lands, Ethiopia,4179 India, Afghanistan, Iran and many other non-European origins. That curriculum also erased the approximately 10% of American Jews who are of color and it erased a large population of American jews who come from Iran, North Africa and the Middle East. Thankfully the California curriculum4196 in its final iteration includes suggested lesson plans covering Jewish American experiences importantly one of them specifically focus is on the story of jews and indigenous who are indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. The revised curriculum also no longer demonizes Israel instead concentrates on racial injustice and disparities in this country.
Jewish people are only 2% of the natural of the national population. But recent FBI statistics show that nearly 60% of all religiously motivated hate crimes are against jews. Whenever there is any vitriol surrounding Israel rates of anti-Semitic4237 attacks and vandalism go way up because many people blame all Jews for the4243 actions of Israel. We in the Commonwealth have a great opportunity here to make a difference in the fight against all hate using the proposed curriculum. Please ensure that affirmative steps are taken by this committee, both in the appointment of the proposed commission and in the development of the curriculum to ensure that this great effort is not hijacked and4265 undermined by unnecessary and dangerous bashing of Jewish people wherever they live.
I'm a longtime elected town meeting member of the town of Brookline. I'm a former president of my synagogue in education4279 chair. Um I am one of the constituents of Dr. Raul Fernandez who testified earlier. I agree with everything he said and I am co-chair of an anti-Semitism4288 task force for the New England chapter of the American Jewish committee, thank you very much for your time today.
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Great thank you so much. Very good to hear from you. Mr Gladstone, thank you. Um Sandy Right, are you with us? Sandy Right.
Okay. Erica span Erica span S. P A N. N.
Stephen Miller, Stephen E Miller,
Will I Bandler will a Bandler B A N D A L E R.
Okay. Helen Lee L. I
I think I see you. Yes. Hi yes. Try to just speak up a little bit louder. Okay.
[HELEN JI LI (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] Hi everyone. My name is Helen Ji4363 Li author, principal and mother and education advocate. I'm strongly supporting the anti-racism bill and financial education including the environmental science education bill. As a public school educator and mother of a girl who is Chinese Hungarian Jewish Polish Austria English thank you for coming together to support these important bills. As the youngest victim of violence in the south shore of the school system and EC programs my daughter Lily and the whole family has chosen to help and prevent other families from becoming the victims of violence and microaggression. as we all know from the media Massachusetts is really the best state for education in America but unfortunately also the worst state in education equity, especially in the south shore and north shore areas.
As a family and my daughter have spoken in API rallies and visuals and also she shared her poem on peace, love and unity. Generally speaking, people don't trust what they don't understand. So let's put anti-racism curriculum Into K through 12 and EEC education system, diversify the teaching, special leadership position in the staff4455 population and implement the anti-racism training into the existing education training materials. You can reach me at Lily Mom Love you number two at Gmail dot com or Helen Li with the Harvard University red background and I would love to continue the journey of having this important ethnic studies Into the K to 12 curriculum including pre-K and I think more of the chief equity officers are needed in all the school systems and I look forward to working with all of you. And we have some books and films coming up. Um, I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone. Thank you so much for your time.
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Thank thank you very much. And my contract is in the zone linked to if you need4507 to reach me on the phone. All right, thank you so much. And just a reminder to you and everybody also feel free to submit written testimony to the committee and that's a great way to make sure what you'd like to share with us goes to all committee members and lives on well beyond this this hearing. Yeah, we did some as well. Thank you. All right. Leila Leila Goodman. It's next. Are you with us, Leila Goodman,
Stephanie Aguayo.
Are you there Stephanie? Yes. Hi. Yes. Hello. Hi, good afternoon. Thank you.
[STEPHANIE AGUAYO (SOCIO-LATINA):] [SB365] [HB584] Um, so thank you so much for your time. Um uh thank you to all the committee members here and all the organizers and individuals who have taken time to speak4562 here today, my name is Stephanie Aguayo. I am an educator and a youth coordinator at Socio-Latina Nonprofit Development organization located in Roxbury. Socio-Latina has been working in partnership with Latino Youth and Families to end the cycle of poverty um inequitable uh an equitable access to health services and the lack of educational and professional opportunities in our community. I'm here today to speak on behalf of Socio-Latina in favor of bills S365 H584. As a coordinator who began my involvement with the organization at the age of 19 I have personally benefited from this model which values culture as an asset and fosters4601 a deep interracial understanding as an adult during my time at a self.
As a coordinator, I have seen firsthand how our BPS youth have benefited from this model as well. Uh Socio Latina our population consists of 75% Latinx youth along with a high percentage of low-income English as a second language and afro Latinx young people. This demographic being highly representative of the general population of Boston public schools. Um the vast majority of high school youth who participate in our after school programming have previously never had access to courses in which they are able to explore these parts of their identity and Boston public schools is able to rely on community-based partners to do this work and educate our young people on these issues. However many young people in BPS are not able to take advantage of these opportunities, especially some of the students who would benefit from these courses the most.
Um the importance of these bills are not only to create a more diverse curriculum, but this is a matter of accessibility aiming to provide all of our young people the opportunity to thrive in their schooling and in the world around them. We need to make sure that ethnic studies is the standard and not only provided for a few students4668 were able to seek it. Um, our education system is changing vastly as we are living in a moment when the result of inequities in our system are highlighted this past year as you know, we've seen a drastic increase in dropout rates in BPS, which exemplifies that our education system is not serving all of its4684 students. Um, in our written testimony, I have included a number of youth stories on how their involvement with this identity-centered curriculum has helped shape their confidence and was imperative in their development and getting through personal hardships and in finding their next steps in the world.
Um, like many have mentioned before, many educators within public schools, community-based orators and alternative spaces of learning have already been organizing and creating diverse curricula for students, which confronts racism, provides a multicultural lens for learning and decolonises our current learning standards. However, we need more resources, professional development and tools in order to make sure we are properly equipped with recurring grants and state-funded resources to continue this important work. So passing this bill will allow for our students and educators to benefit and creating competent, confident and culturally responsive global citizens on behalf of Socio-Latino, all of our young4732 people and educators. We thank you so much for the opportunity to speak today and urge you to please advance these bills. Thank you.
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Thank thank you so much. Um Okay. Nicole barnaby,
coal barnaby.
Next person signed up is meg wheeler
meg wheeler
a Killeen Blumstein,
Daleen Blumstein
victoria, Thompson
victoria Thompson
sam masshire,
M U S H E R. Are you there Sam masshire?
Okay, next we have lisa hat
lisa. Uh huh
Lynn Feldman,
Lynn Feldman,
Danielle kim. Hi, good afternoon. Hi, all right, great.
[DANIELLE KIM (MAAPI):] [HB584] [SB365] Thank you. Chair Lewis, Chair Peisch Peisch and esteemed education committee members for your leadership time and perhaps most importantly your stamina today. My name is Danielle kim and I'm a commissioner on the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islander commission. On behalf of the commission I'm here to testify in support of H584 Senate bill 365. I want to offer sincere appreciation to Representative Elugardo, Representative Uyterhoeven and to you, Senator Lewis for filing this important bill and I would also like to applaud the hundreds of committee members who are here today to advocate for making the Commonwealth4869 more equitable and inclusive for all of us. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission had the opportunity to discuss this bill in-depth, including the impact that it would have on AAPI residents across Massachusetts and we voted overwhelmingly to support this legislation.
I urge you to pass this bill for several reasons in a year where we've seen a surge in hate crimes against the AAPI community as well as the black community and other identities this bill is imperative to advancing educational practices that advance racial equity and justice. The stories that you've heard today make clear that more needs to be done within our K-12 system to combat racism and intolerance of all kinds. Second, we applaud that this bill does not define our mandate a specific curriculum, but rather proposes to create a commission comprised of educators, community leaders and other interested parties precisely so we can have further discussions on vital questions about pedagogy and competencies.
These are important decisions that should not be made unilaterally but in direct conversation and collaboration with those who would be most impacted by this4931 bill, specifically young people, parents, educators, experts, and4935 other stakeholders. Third, and finally, this bill is critical to ensuring that teachers and school counselors have access to professional development, that focuses on equity, centric educational practices,.Knowing that 92% of the Massachusetts teaching force is white, considerably more funding and support is needed to help educators in advancing equity and inclusion in their classrooms. I implore you to advance this bill favorably out of4958 committee and I also strongly support the idea of an omnibus bill that incorporates many of the4963 provisions of the bills that you've heard today.4965
Um we also advocate for and urge you to prioritize the use of ARPA funds to help support and invest in the fund outline um in H584 S365, Thank you sincerely for your time and consideration.
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Great, thank you so much. Um, it's really great to hear the perspective of the mass ap I commission and we appreciate very much your service um as a commissioner and4989 your fellow commissioners and that you took the time to discuss this legislation very thoroughly. Um, I also wanted to just mention to folks um there's a bill that's not on the docket today, we'll be having a hearing later that Representative Peisch and I filed that actually specifically addresses strategies to increase diversity among our educator workforce. So that is an area an issue that we are acutely aware of as well5015 that needs further attention. Um okay, Elizabeth Turner is up next Elizabeth Turner.
Okay, Bishop Turner.
Bishop Turner.
Okay. Catherine parcel, Catherine parcel
Henry barbaro,
Henry Barbaro.
Hello. Hi, thank you, Go ahead.
Thank you.
[HENRY BARBARO (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] Thank you to the Chairs Lewis and Peisch and to all the members of the education committee. My name is Henry Barbaro and I live in Newton. I oppose H584 and S365 and the other bills relating to teaching theories about anti-racism in our schools. Because these concepts are complex, vague and divisive. It should not be imposed on our children at school. I have something at stake here. I have a 13-year-old son in middle school. It matters very much to me how my son learns and experiences his place in the world. I don't want him to be taught to fixate on his race or anyone else's race and to be indoctrinated into critical race theory, which is controversial, subjective and complex. The proposed5109 bills would restructure the way kids learn and foster resentment and division among students.
Students would simplistically be divided into oppressors and depressed according to their skin color, but I want my son to be proud of who he is based on his talents and character and not be taught to be ashamed of his physical attributes like skin color. The proposed curriculum will no doubt include concepts like white supremacy and white privilege both of which are racist and divisive. Clearly, these bills are about indoctrination, not education. By teaching kids that they are either oppressors and the oppressed how would that improve student achievement rather than be taught complex and controversial theories about race. Our students should5162 focus on the fundamentals of math, reading, writing, science and factual history so they will have the skill set to excel as adults.
These bills are setting up the citizens of Massachusetts to push back against public education, access to homeschooling and vouchers for private schools would become far more popular than they are now. And for good reason why should parents tolerate the indoctrination of their children with political agendas? Public schools should teach the fundamental core subjects and not be wandering into the political realm. In closing, I urge the committee to vote against this bill because it would impose controversial and subjective theories on our school kids and would teach kids to either resent white people feel guilty about being white.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you Mr Barber I'm almost done
[BARBARO:] And would further lower the confidence that Massachusetts citizens have in public education. All people, especially
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
thank you Mr Barbaro. I'm going to have to ask you to conclude at this point. I'm also, I apologize to folks, we did not realize Mr Barbara had testified earlier, he actually signed up for multiple bills but we do as you know, we've asked people to please only testify once at the hearing again, out of respect for everyone else who is trying to testify. So um I did let you continue. There was an oversight on our part but again, we ask everybody please just testify once during the hearing. Okay. All right, thank you. Um Thank you Mr Barbaro And next we're gonna hear from Carey Masih carrie muzzy.
Okay. Um moving on to is Adele Eddie,
are you there is Adele
Isabelle Eddie.
Okay, kim Humphrey
kim Humphrey
Maira Belenky,
E L E N K I Y. Are you there?
Okay, Karen Maza
Karen Masa
Jonathon Giffin,
Jonathon Giffin.
Okay, Christopher Spagnola.
Good afternoon. Hi, please go ahead very well. Yes, we can hear you
[CHRIS SPAGNUOLO (FAIR):] [HB584] [SB365] Thank you Chairs Lewis and Peisch and members of the Joint Committee of Education, I appreciate you allowing me to provide testimony today. My name is Christopher Spagnuolo, I'm a parent of two children and the co-leader of the Metro West Chapter of FAIR Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism. We are nonpartisan grassroots national organization. We believe wholeheartedly in5377 the importance of5378 teaching diverse narratives and perspectives and developing curricula that include rather than overlook the experiences of communities of color. However, after carefully studying H584 and S365, we oppose the bill in its current form FAIR found many troubling issue. The bills in sponsoring coalition CARE's vision of Ethnic Studies primarily focused on the analysis of power and oppression.
We strongly disagree with the studying of nuanced experiences of communities of color through the lens of oppression. This framework often simplistically divides students into oppressors and oppressed by skin color. It stigmatizes stereotypes and minimizes the dignity of all students. The bill also set forth assertions about the cause and nature of complex problems as indisputable factual5429 truths, thereby insisting on one worldview as truth, but the teaching and study of complex history requires an open-minded approach that allows students to consider multiple perspectives and reach their own conclusions in an environment that empowers them through an affirmation of their common humanity. Recently the California state government released an ethnic studies model curriculum using the same framework of oppression.
Because a large amount of controversy, our state can avoid this divisive path. FAIR's objective is to advocate for a more constructive version of ethnic studies that aligns with common humanity so beautifully articulated in the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. We build unity and bridges of empathy, respect and understanding across ethnic groups. Let's encourage appreciation for ethnic group contributions and accomplishments. Let's help students learn to counter racism and intolerance with humanity and compassion. We urge the committee to stop House Bill 584 Senate Bill 365 right here we have a constructive pro-human ethnic studies curriculum ready to share with you. We look forward to working with you in advanced constructive ethnic studies5497 that will celebrate our diverse heritage and common humanity in a balanced way that enrich and empower all of the students in this great state. Please include us in this conversation. Thank you very much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay, thank you for for your testimony today Caroline uh child.
Hi yes. Yes I Yes, please go ahead.
[CAROLYN CHOU5525 (AARW):] Hi, thank you so much. Um and thank you for spending all of today taking our testimony. My name is Carolyn Chou I'm the executive director of the Asian American Resource Workshop and I'm testifying on behalf of the steering committee of API Scan, which is a statewide Asian American Civic Action Network. We have we represent service and organizing groups that serve Asian communities across the state of Massachusetts um and uh you know, coming out of um the rise of anti-Asian violence andinAtlanta and everything that happened this year, API Scan held a town hall with over 30005560 folks in attendance and you know what we really what we've known and what this moment has really emphasized for us is how critical um ethnic studies are, how critical anti-racist education is and how critical us really building solidarity and understanding across communities is in this next period, right.
And so um as a group we we wholeheartedly support this um legislation and we are speaking in favour of it because we see how it will um support the future leaders in our community and um be part of a solution to stop anti-Asian violence and other structural barriers as well as you know, build deeper connections, understanding and solidarity across our communities. So thank you so much and I'll keep it brief but just really want to express all of our support for this bill.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Right, well thank you very much, mr sorry for mispronouncing your name before and thanks so much for your testimony today.
Okay, Rachel Carey5630 harper Rachel Carey harper
vida bagatelle
David to bagatelle
Sena lou uh hi I'm here. Great, please go ahead. All right
[TINA LU (SOMERVILLE ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY NETWORK):] Dear honourable members of the committee on behalf of the Somerville Asian and Asian American Family Network, I thank you for holding this hearing and we offer this testimony in support of these two bills. Uh the Somerville Asian and Asian American Family Network is an organic group that formed this year in response to the growing need amongst residents to seek support, share resources and advocate for families who have children of5687 Asian descent. While this network was formed as a direct response to the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes spurred by the pandemic, the truth is that these issues are not new since the founding of our nation, Asia has been intimately connected with the creation of US-12 In identity, but this is very little studied in our K- 12 institutions. As a result, Americans of Asian descent have a long history of being treated as foreigners and have been targets of discrimination, marginalization and erasure from public discourse in history texts. Despite these challenges, however, Asian Americans along with many of our fellow brothers and sisters of color have been powerful contributors to American society and culture and we have also worked in solidarity with many marginalized groups to advance civil rights for all. These stories deserve to be heard, taught5735 and celebrated. Ethnic studies benefits all students in cultivating greater critical thinking skills considering the historical and ongoing racial injustices that have become more apparent over this past year. It is more critical than ever that children learn5748 these skills now to create communities that are truly just equitable and celebratory of everyone's history in the United States. We respectfully request that these bills be reported out of committee favorably. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you so much for your testimony. Um, Colin fredericks is next
Colin fredericks.
Terry, Elvis Hunter, Terry hunter.
Yeah. Vat Saadi Cervantes a
Oh, I'm sorry. Good to see you again. Thanks for joining us.
Yeah, good to see everyone.
[VATSADY SIVONGXAY (MEJA):] Thank you to the Joint Committee on Education for this opportunity to speak in support of an act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice in education. I'm Vatsady Sivongxay mother of a multi-race and multi-ethnic first grader in public schools and also the executive director of MEJA, the Massachusetts Education Justices Alliance, a diverse statewide coalition made up of students, parents, educators and community and union members who is standing united in support of high-quality public education. We work towards to undo racism in our education system and ensure schools are places of joy, creativity and critical thinking and as you know, school is a place where students develop their understanding of their community, the world and the ability to make change. In MEJA's work with youth across the Commonwealth and youth organizations across the state.
Students have expressed among their top concerns the desire and the importance to address racism, increased diversity of teacher, teacher and school staff and learn more about black Latin, Asian indigenous cultures and histories. They recognize that we are living in a complex world like many adults have mentioned here with multiple perspectives and cultures and they are ready to change our systems and institutions. This commission would support the growth and success of our students and our students' desire to provide age-appropriate lessons that honor the dignity, history and experience of every student, helping them become critical thinkers, equipped with the tools and5900 skills to meet the challenges to undo racism and for a more just and equitable commonwealth, supporting increasing and retaining the diversity of our educators so that all students can benefit from better relationships among students and staff.
Reduction of chronic absenteeism and suspensions, the quality of teaching, leading to a long-lasting impact, including increasing college enrollment and success and career pathways and for these reasons and more. I strongly support the creation of a collaborative commission, a space for making change and critical thinking, a much-needed discussion um, within the space that would result in empowerment of all of our communities and people of color in a greater appreciation of working together so that we can achieve a better future together. So thank you for considering my testimony and I urge you to work in passing this favorably. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
very good. Thanks so much for joining us today to testify. Representative piece. Did you have a comment or question?
[REP PEASE:] Yes. Yes. Chairman. I appreciate it. It was actually back for Chris from FAIR I believe he said he was from um and I was wondering he said they had an alternate proposal to this legislation and uh and I was wondering if he was submitting that as part of testimony is what5986 my question was.
[SPAGNUOLO:] Um I could get a link to it. I didn't know if we had the ability to submit documents.
[REP PEASE:] Absolutely. Actually we prefer documents as opposed to testimony. So if you would submit that I'd like to see that because I'm very concerned about some of the6005 wording in this bill as well. So thank you.
[SPAGNUOLO:] I sent6011 written testimony to both chairs and I will provide a link to the educational curriculum that we are our firm is working on.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay. Thank you for your time.
Okay. Thank you both. Yes. Anyone is welcome to submit any testimony or research to any documents that to the committee that you think would be helpful in our consideration of any of the legislation pending before us. So we, what we encourage you to do so. Okay next up is lisa Geis pond you see you there?
Okay. Miles Steel. Miles Steel.
He won wang
the one wang
Jessica loans,
Jessica loans L. O. H. N. D. S.
Mhm lisa Chernin lisa. Chernin.
Okay. Matthew smith.
Matthew smith.
Okay. Um Next person. I only think I have a last name. I don't have a first name Mulhern is the last name Mulhern. Hi, yes, I'm ready to speak. Okay. All right. Yes we do. I see. It's uh an sorry about that. Go ahead. Dr Mulhern or Mulhern. Okay, thank you. Okay,
[ANN MULHERN (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB584] [SB365] I'm ready to begin. Dear Chairman Lewis Chairwoman Peisch and members of the Joint Committee of Education. My name is Dr. Ann Mulhern. I'm a concerned citizen living in Bol Massachusetts. I'm here to speak against Bill H584 S365 titled and Act relative to anti racism, equity and justice and education. The bill proposes to establish a commission for anti-racism and equity in education. Some of the appointing organizations are not qualified to be on this commission. The ACLU is such an example. I am gay that is relevant to the rest. ACLU claims to defend civil liberties for all. However, they have done quite the opposite. Some 10 years ago Jack Philips owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop refused to make a custom wedding cake for a gay couple. The6170 usual anonymous death threats ensued, but also court cases culminating in his appearance before the US Supreme Court where he won his case by a margin of 72.
People might assume that since the letters ACLU you stand for American Civil Liberties Union that the ACLU was there to defend Jack's Philips civil liberties to the contrary they were the prosecuting counsel in the case. I would not walk into any flowers bigger sign makers or artist studio6198 and try to compel the business to manufacture just for me a custom product that was contrary to their personal beliefs. There are plenty of alternatives. I would find a shop owner that was glad to6208 take my business. However, the ACLU contrary to any desire of mine ferociously persecuted Jack Philips for his refusal.6217 This is not the way to create positive change.6220 When I was marching in pride marches, we were marching for nondiscrimination and equal treatment, not the ability to discriminate against others. The Masterpiece Cakeshop case and other similar occurrences have convinced me that the ACLU has lost its way and is failing in its ostensible mission.
The proposed law provides that a representative of the ACLU will participate in writing the curriculum by its regressive and intolerant actions in the courtroom the ACLU has shown itself to be unqualified to write school curricula suitable for the diverse yet tolerant society that we would all like to live in. Conclude.
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Okay, thank you very much for your testimony. Dr Mulherin
Juliette burnout Brownell Lee is next
Juliette Burnell. Brownell Lee
savannah parakeet
Muhanna prohibit.
Hi and I apologize. No worries. You got it right. It is far ahead. Okay
[SAHANA PUROHIT (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB584] [SB365] So thank you senator and everyone on the joint education committee. I would like to start by6300 this court Mahatma Gandhi once said our ability to reach diversity will be the beauty and test of our civilization. Indian immigrants across the Commonwealth and the country are contributing in every field be it in education, health, politics or business. Hello, my name is Sahana Purohit. I'm a first-generation immigrant from India, a Massachusetts resident for 27 years and town of acting president for 16 years. I'm thrilled and enthusiastic to be here today to support the bills H584 and S365 being the first generation6333 immigrant. We have been very lucky to have raised a son in a diverse community Acton though I feel Acton is diverse, we can do more to be inclusive and accepting of all ethnicities, not just here in Acton, but throughout the states throughout the state.
These bills if passed has the potential to do just that. It's known that ethnic studies helps force a cross-cultural understanding among both students of color and other students. It aid students in valuing their own cultural identity while appreciating the differences around them. Most Indian immigrants living in the commonwealth6371 strongly believe in a well-rounded education, which leads to laying the foundation for a strong community and engaged citizens of6378 the commonwealth and the world. Laying the foundation for a better future for our students is a responsibility for of all of us. Imagine a world that is so understanding, caring6390 and accepting of different cultures6392 from around the world. This bill will open doors for a more inclusive community through education. Thank you for your time and I really hope to see this bill moved out of the committee favorably.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you very much and thanks for your patience and uh staying with us. So let's late point in the hearing today. Um Next up we have Susan Lawrence. Susan Lawrence. I think I see you on my screen. Hopefully you're there
Miss Lawrence. I'm here. Don't know how to do the next thing. Can you make me visible?
Uh I don't think we have control over that, but if you6433 just turn on your video um maybe a I'm not sure how to do that. Okay, we can hear you loud and clear, so feel free to dive right in. All right. I think I'll just do that.
[SUSAN LAWRENCE (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB365] [HB584] [HB651] [SB382] Okay, well, I'm here in support6449 of Senate House Bill S365 and H584. Um I also wanted to apologize for missing my chance to speak in favour of Bill H651 and S382 relative to celebrating and teaching native American culture and history. I did not realize I could only speak once though. So that worked out well. Um I'm a Malden resident. I'm a former public high school teacher and I'm a single parent of one daughter who is a 2019 Malden High Graduate for reasons others have testified eloquently before me today, I am very excited to see the changes that will come and curriculum with these bills, We must be willing to examine the pedagogical standards we use to make sure they align with the equity breadth and diversity for a truly modern curriculum6492 that includes and develops all of our students. But my most urgent and personal need for this bill relates to its promise to bring more educators of colour.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I did not6503 realize I could only speak should6505 I go on? It's confusing. Yes, Please tell me so. I'm, uh,
[LAWRENCE:] My most urgent and personal need for this bill relates to its promise to bring more educators of colour into our children's school lives. As a young black woman, my daughter completed her K-12 education without once seeing an educator of color at the head of her classroom. This lack served to distort the world for all the children, but harms particularly children of color. The staff of color my daughter knew were very few and they were never in a classroom lab or library, but always in a policing6541 sort of role responsible for discipline but not learning or academics. My daughter had no role models for black learning and excellence throughout her time in Malden Schools. No question the absence of diversity and school staff diminished her sense of possibilities for herself growing6556 up.
That just is not fair. I also feel urgency around existing educators, lack of professional training to work with youth of color. My family experienced the effects of this lack of training year after year in second grade, a teacher assured me my daughter was doing great academically, although her grades were seized only and she was still struggling to learn to read. In the 5th grade, a white teacher wrongly disciplined my daughter and her three black classmates for not working on a group project because the teacher thought their group was too loud. At Malden High School my daughter spoke6591 up with other black students about a rule banning head wraps. Headwraps are a common and well-groomed style for black girls. Yet the students6598 had to go all the way to the city school committee to get this rule change. These are just a few examples from a K through 12 journey that included many instances of bias that challenged my daughter's self-esteem, her right to be and to excel. These kids are very strong, but they should not have to get strong through being harmed and challenged while in school. Without professional training and accountability around cultural awareness and anti-bias, educators will continue to harm our children. I look to these bills to help turn this around, Please report this bill out of committee favorably. I believe you will be truly saving lives when you do thank you for your consideration on this matter.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thanks a lot Susan. And we'll be sure to note your support for the the earlier bill about native american curriculum as well. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Um, I see to folks um that we had just passed uh previously that I'd like to give them each a chance now. So, um, first we'll hear from Aaron Olopade and then Juliet Brunelli, so um Mr alipay, do you want to go next? Yes, thank you so much. And I hope you can see me. Yeah, so thank you.
[AARON OLAPADE (NAACP):] [SB365] [HB584] So honorable chairs Jason Lewis and6675 Alice Peisch as well as vice-chairs and members of the committee. I'm writing to support Senator House Bill S365 and H584. This bill will help us to set up a system for expanded education with a less white and Eurocentric worldview as well as a more diverse faculty, a system that would particularly meaningful to children color like myself. Um a little bit about me, I am a resident of Medford and currently serve as a youth coordinator as part of the Mystic Valley branch of the NAACP, extending support for educational equity for youth. I'm responsible for establishing connections with youth and local high schools and colleges to identify ways that the branch could help support them in terms6708 of education equity, coordinate branch support for youth organize and youth-focused activities, local communities and exposing youth to the work of the NAACP is performing and encouraging them to join the branch.
This rule extends the NAACP support for civil rights for youth building on its recent efforts. My work is very much informed by my own experience as a biracial youth educated in the United in the Massachusetts. For6728 me to walk into the doors of Medford High each day and see6732 no adult teacher, administrator or staff who looks like the further the belief that African American and black folks can do no more than music or drill basketball. This may seem like a bit of an exaggerate outlook but for 15 or 16 year old who identifies as biracial, this is all that I really could see. Now imagine having because you walk into history or English class freshman for senior year for example and learn next to nothing about a BIPOC or the countless things they have done is to leave a lasting impact on our country on the world.
Any moment where the topic of African American figures in history, whether they were a poet, author, musician, um or film producer was rushed over in a few classrooms or complete skipped, always spent upwards of two months of Mice and Men and the6771 Great Gatsby, which are great pieces of literature but are surprised the only pieces of literature in the world. In the end, we did read work by PSC author, it was the last month of my senior year which things fall apart by Chinua Achebe a Nigerian author, which is surprising because I'm also Nigerian. So I tended to make me a bit of a token black person in the classroom and maybe quickly disappointed because I was always the figurehead always being6797 asked thequasi encyclopedia for knowledge growing Nigerian history. This one instance of PUC representation does not make up for the last four years of the gracious white impact we learn about each day.
I would say from a young age I noticed a difference of treatment white folks got compared to black folks and wish to live that way, which was somewhat possible for me. As6814 I lived in a predominantly white neighborhood and white town with a white parent. For some time, I tried to lean into my whiteness to avoid the reality being a person of color today's world. This proved to be incredibly harmful choice and I struggled with my identity for years as I grappled with who I was and what my skin color meant. Now the students who don't get the luxury to pick and choose what reality wish to be in that day the system set up in our schools are equally harmful if students cannot look to their educators as part as a support system for the questions they may have. Um it's going to be a fearful experience for them and they won't be able to continue to improve and grow.
We must address the very real issues that are plaguing the hall in each classroom and school as soon as possible to get the younger creation the opportunity to succeed in whatever the way they please report this bill out of committee favorably. Thank you for consideration on the matter. I appreciate it.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great. Thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for for your youth activism here. We really appreciate it. All right, let's go to Juliette Burnell Granelli. You are next. NlB Hi, can you guys hear me? Yes, we can. Ok, cool.
[JULIET BROWNELL-LEE (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB365] [HB584] Hi everyone. Um I am speaking today in strong, strong support of S365 H584. Um Growing up as a white girl6893 in the 80s and 90s, I frequently heard racist epithets at the dining room table and blaring out of the radio. It was only because of the devoted efforts of several of my better history teachers that I didn't turn out a product of the white supremacy under which I was raised and from which I unwittingly benefited. As I went out into the world, I was perplexed that other white students, teachers hadn't taken the time out to go off the books on Friday mornings to talk about the histories of minority groups in the US or the origins of the civil rights movement, but that was also a kind of privilege that I had. It was much, much later in my life that I realized how much further we really have to go in order to make education truly accessible and equitable.
So students can truly see themselves. So all students can truly see themselves in their curriculum and ultimately participate fully in the American experiment. Right now, I'm a high school level tutor and I can tell you that most of my students, bright and well-educated as they are in the Massachusetts school systems Couldn't point to Vietnam or Cape Verde or Haiti on a map. Let alone talk about the contributions of the people of those cultures to the US Even though students from these backgrounds and so many more backgrounds sit next to them in their classrooms. these issues have hit even closer to home for me in recent years as I have a three-year-old biracial son. I want my little boy to be able to learn about the histories6973 of both sides of his culture and of the cultures of the children6977 around him in the classroom rather than having his parents6980 have to supplement his learning at home.
This happens to so many BIPOC students and that's what happened to my husband when he was growing up. I sincerely hope and I hope that this bill gets reported out of committee and I thank everyone for their amazing efforts and coalition building to get this far. Thank you7001 so much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great thank you so much. I'm very glad we got to hear from you today. Um All right, well let's see who is next. I think it's Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta
are you with us?
Okay, Aneel Saigal,
Professor Siegel, are you there
and Neil Siegel? Okay, Sharon Solomon, Sharon Solomon.
Okay. Ah let's see when who's zang Mr Zhang? I do see you on my screen so I know you're there. Please go ahead.
Hello, can you hear me? Yes we can.
[WENHUA ZHANG (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB584] [SB365] Um thank you for having me honourable chair Lewis chair Peisch and members of the joint committee. My name is Wenhua Zhang. I'm currently a resident of Western Massachusetts. I enthusiastically support hospital H584 Senate Bill S365. While there are disagreements how to undo racism I believe there is a strong need to implement ethnic study in Massachusetts public schools. I also noticed um the trust fund for the bill which accept both public and private funds. I have a suggestion relative to it. My past experience was in investment management, including as a portfolio manager for Harvard University's Endowment. I would suggest that a volunteer committee of professional managers should be appointed as fiduciaries7105 to oversee the management of the trust fund generations. We, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts have a diverse and high qualified pool of one of financial professionals. Please include us to volunteer for this great course. Um please vote this bill out of committee favorably, thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you so much for7129 your testimony and I'd like to build on your suggestion. If the trust fund were to be created, Maybe Harvard could actually make a donation to the trust fund out of its massive endowment.
All right, um thank you. Next, we have swan Lee
juan, Lee are you with us?
Ok, Sanjay, Kaul coal kul
Sanjay called
my Philly. Miranda E R A N. D. E
linda champion
and the champion,
Bill Colella
Hill Colella
martin brower
frank the Lohse
frank celulosa. Yeah, I'm here. Okay. Can you hear? Can you hear me? Please? Go ahead.
[FRANK CELOZA (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] Thank you Chairman Lewis and House Chair Peisch and the Joint Committee onEducation. My name is Frank Celoza. I am a Filipino American Vietnam era veteran. I'm a father, I'm my husband and a very active community leader and I'm very proud American. I volunteered and I was willing to die for this country. I love this country because it gives me all the opportunity in life that seldom given to people from opposite of the globe. Uh I am torn on this this bill. Although I think it accomplishes the exact opposite of its intended gold, I believe in the importance of teaching diverse contribution of all Americans, especially the ones that have been overlooked. I believe that all Americans have different descents and heritage have contributed positively to the making of our the United States of America.
Let's treat, let's teach our children not based oh no it's the oppressed and the oppressor. Let them learn about the contribution of different cultures. America is no longer about playing black and white. There are many of us who are needed. Let's not so resentment and mess with our children's minds. I immigrated to the US in the 1960s and served in the military to uphold freedom and liberty. As a naturalized American citizen I do not take things for granted the freedom I enjoy and the greatest democracy in the world. Therefore I have a serious concern about the bill in education that inadvertently compromises our freedom of speech. An expression based on7351 race being able to speak freely is a precious giftof all of us Americans.
Second the bill proposes to teach history in elementary and secondary from racial identity perspective. Children are innocent, and form organic friendship. The bill will inculcate complicated racial perspective at a very young age and teach children to judge each other based on the corner of the scaling. The Philippines President America's showcases democracy in Asia. We were under America for 50 years. Most of Americans you ask them doesn't know those things. There are over a million Filipinos died in the Second World War, 250,000 of them served under the US Military. Although there are troubling parts of America's colonial7414 expansion in the Philippines, it did install7420 the best public school system in Asia.
I believe that we should face history and ourselves with understanding and shared humanity. There are historical injustices and much blame to go around but ;et not negate the great strides strides, the civil rights movement rather let us create positive educational pathways for our children to learn from each other for this I oppose the Bill H584 365. My name is Frank Celoza from the Philippines. Thank you again for the opportunity.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Well thank you very much for taking the time to testify and we thank you very much for your service as well to to our our nation. Thank you.
Um Next we're gonna hear from jin Zoo
X. You
are you with us gin uh suit.
Um Are eric Royce
eric are eric Royce are the U. S. S.
Yeah. All right. Let's see Hannah, leslie,
Hannah Leslie,
Christine brown Christine brown
Caroline labor,
Caroline labour,
diane, Nassif
diane, Nassif,
Elizabeth wheat,
Elizabeth
wheat
Tyson read, Neukirch,
Tyson reed, Neukirch,
Isabelle woods,
Isabelle woods,
Karen griffiths,
Karen griffiths,
G. By
deep by B. A. I.
Three brothers,
three brothers
Francis, Osmond
Francis, Osmond,
jennifer Rogers
jennifer, Rogers
Whitney, Aaron Moselle,
Whitney, Aaron Moselle
Alison Munro.
Alison Munro
Jessica Marden,
Jessica martin,
joan, richland,
joan, richland
Garrett wang
Jared wang
Neil Glick
Neil Garlick
rena Patel,
rena Patel.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes I can yes. Hi please go ahead.
[RENA PATEL:] Okay so so I am in support of this. Um all of our kids deserve mirrors and windows right now my child only has windows nothing to reflect his experience back to him. Um minorities should not have to code-switch to fit it in. They should not have to exchange their cultural currency in order to fit in. They should not have to spend the majority of their day in class with educators who placed a little value for the way that they experience life. It is their American Right to have the audacity of equality that so much emphasis is placed on during the pledge of7750 allegiance they've been learning about all year. True diversity would celebrate everyone's unique qualities, cultures and beliefs and that needs to start at a younger age. True diversity would mean everyone fits in. There are brown children as7764 young as six in our district to feel embarrassed by their skin color because it's not being celebrated or incorporated into their education or acknowledged in a meaningful way they deserve better from all of us.
Our communities recognise some but leave others out. It feeds into racism through racial and cultural bias. If someone is going to approach my whole child, they are going to have to approach his brownness, his culture and how those things lend him themselves to his life experience all of the Children in Massachusetts would benefit from more equitable and factual and inclusive curriculum. It would7798 better prepare them for life and give them empathy for other people's perspective from a young age. If it is the job of the schools to teach community and kindness, then it's also the school's job to teach enough cultural empathy to actually include and understand everyone in that community. Um, it was detrimental to my life experience to have to endure so much racism and vitriol growing up and I managed to thrive despite.
I can't stand by and wait for anymore to happen to my kids or other people's kids because I've already physically experienced the cost of silence as a child I was spit on beat up for weeks on the school bus simply for being brown and having an accent even though I was born in this country. Following 9/11 the7846 verbal attacks and threats of bodily harm that followed my brother and I were very difficult to deal with. Just a few years ago, I was verbally berated and called a terrorist at the airport by a group of teenagers while I was7862 very visibly pregnant and very much minding my own business. This happens because of ignorance and certainly, the change needs to happen now in order for people's perspective to widen before they get to a point where their minds are set on ignoring the problem or dismissing it.
Just last year in school, my son was7885 asked if he would want to go on an adventure with Christopher Columbus, he's he's south Asian. So if Columbus had found my child, um he would have been enslaved or killed. It's not an appropriate question for my child. It's not an appropriate question for a native American child. So I would just say that you know factual history is is beneficial to everybody because sorry, I just7915 lost my train of thought. Um, if you wouldn't ask either of those groups that question, you shouldn't be asking anyone. I'm not saying Columbus shouldn't be taught, but perhaps glorifying a man committed genocide is and always has been um, problematic. Similarly, when York is referred to as a friend of William Clark. It glorifies white men who were factually flawed even though they accomplished great things and it diminishes the truth that York was7940 an enslaved man who was stripped of his freedom.
It leads to7945 bias and it contributed and contributed systemic racism affecting how our children see themselves and the people around them when they aren't given the truth. But rather an education through a single lens, factual education rather than a single perspective of history might be important if we're if we ever hope to be an equal society. So very much in favour of these things. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you. Thank you so much. Miss Burton, thank you for your patience um in waiting to testify today. Um and thank you for sharing your personal experiences as well. We understand how um how difficult that must must have been and continues to be Tony Tony Lee is next
Tony Lee
joe zao
and sorry if I mispronounced Z. H Yes, I can hear me yep. High please.
[JO ZHOU:] Thank you Chairman Lewis and uh Chairman, Peisch and members of the Joint Committee of Education. Can you hear my voice well?
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
yes we can hear you. Okay thank you.
[ZHOU (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB584] [SB365] My8025 name is Jo Zhou and from Asian Parisella line it's my honor to be here to testify. I strongly oppose this bill H584 and S365 This ethnic study. Um the bill sounds very honorable and uh it sounds really wonderful but the proposed ethnic study will use the frame use that fraud framework which exempts the power and operation dynamics between the racialized groups just like Chris mentioned earlier, which was very painful, painfully familiar to the people who survived the Chinese cultural revolution. In the mid 1950s my grandparents or category categorized as the five black categories like the landlord, the rich, peasant, the whatever who doesn't listen to the CCPS propaganda called under higher revolutionaries and the righteousness and label them as the pressure class, you know, just like the the other rulers.
They try to divide people in groups. Um you know like here probably according to different colors. But anyway, even my my grandma always paid a fair wages and contribute back to his hometown very very well and all their personal wealth and land were confiscated. Many members of my extended families were ruthlessly prosecuted, none of them. The men from my family of the older generations, they die from the natural cause. All the atrocities were committed in the name of building equitable and fair society in China. And you know people say that the atrocity just uh caused by chairman more but the tragedy started with the8144 students being taught to divide people into oppressor and the oppressed. The worst human nature was unleashed after those propagandists. You know.
So uh during the cultural revolution there was no rule and law anymore.8164 The young students, the red guards, they were the most zealous and destructive in the moment they destroyed everything in traditional Chinese cultural value from the statues from the temples, libraries and museums, the police record, the university system, the government system mostly shut down. So I don't know any any of you guys, especially those who left China or who are never lived in china during that era. They never understand this. So I believe every human being is unique. They all the reasons and in these groups, they consist of good and8205 bad people. So it's morally wrong to label the entire group being the oppressors or the oppressed, I don't want my child to be taught to sees himself as oppressed or oppressor.
Although you know um he I remember when he was young he was very he got along very well with all kinds of color people. Um I mean the white people, the black they were all his friends but recently he has been complaining like whenever he lost on the basketball forward and he would like although friends they don't pass me the ball every time we8248 try to um tell him to just uh practice more. You know get well sharpen his skills. Well anyway. I hope you send the bill to the study. Thank you very much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for testifying today. Um So that brings us to the last person that was I have signed up to testify on on these two bills. Um was there someone that I inadvertently missed. Um that would still like to testify.
Are there any members of the the committee that I apologize if I overlooked? Anyone who had a question or a comment? Any members of the committee who wanted to still speak?
Okay.
And the Lewis quick question, is there any other more opportunity to um vote for other bills? So this is the only time8310 and chances.
So this this is a one of you know several public hearings that are being held by the education committee. We held several earlier this year. We have a number of additional hearings that will be upcoming in the weeks and months ahead. Um So there will be future opportunities to testify on bills and again as representative patient, I've indicated anyone is welcome to always submit written testimony to the committee on any bills that you wish to share your opinions on welcome. A couple of students are not able to join today due to circumstance. So they asked me and private messages need to ask if there's any other opportunity on a virtual hearing like this or it does it. Again they can submit written testimony by an email or a letter or whatever they would like to send to us um when we have future hearings, they will be on specific bills. So just like today the hearing concerned specific bills, the same will be true in the future. Um So it would be they would be testifying on on a different bill in the8377 future. But in terms of this specific bill, anybody who still wants to share their their opinion should do so by sending us an email or sending us a letter, you know, whatever you would like in writing. Okay
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
students. Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, I think I don't hear anyone else who um still was waiting to testify, so I want to thank everyone for your patience uh and again apologized that we did have to shorten the amount of time each person had today, but that we wanted to be respectful and fair to everyone who has would like to speak to the committee. Thank you very much to my co chair representative pitch uh and fellow Education committee members for your good work. And I'm now going to declare this public hearing of the Joint Committee on Education closed. Thank you all very much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Mhm. Uh Mhm.
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