By: Michaela Gonzalez, Opinions Editor
Beginning in 2018, the San Mateo High School District (SMUHSD) created an equity vision and General Equity Committee to cultivate a balanced learning environment for all students.
Their mission statement reads: “We will continually identify, disrupt and eliminate institutional biases and barriers to ensure that all students have the skills and knowledge to thrive physically, emotionally and academically.” Through this mission, the General Equity committee plans to create equal access and opportunity for all students, identify and terminate systemic barriers, stop unequivocal thinking, and match qualified resources based on an individual student’s needs. With appropriately qualified data, the committee plans to bestow those assets to stimulate them at their time at any San Mateo High School District.
According to collected data, 80-90% students meet the school’s academic expectations, 5-10% require supplemental instruction, and 1-8% of students need intensive instruction. The Equity committee plans to accurately target students at different levels three different tiers of action.
Due to this new provision of the ways of the school system, curriculum and training have changed as well. Students may have realized the dual electives taken during Freshman year; 2018 was the first year Ethnic Studies became a graduation requirement for all students. Mills students who have taken the class claim the curriculum greatly applies to life outside of school, recollecting being globally aware.
The Ethnic Studies course is a USC and UC transferable course, adopting the Social Science Framework for students to “develop respect for cultural diversity and see the advantages of inclusion”(SMHSD ETHS Course Study) Throughout the course, students touch on the experiences and struggles of immigrants, the LGBTQAI+ public, BIPOC, the disabled community, and body acceptance/normalization groups. Through these topics, the students then globally analyze their own identity and connect themselves to privilege and specific institutions. From politically, to socially and economically, students become conscious of their personal connections to local and global histories.
“I definitely learnt more about other communities and identities than my parents did in high school.”, reports Elaine Chan (10)
The General Equity committee is also facilitating a Multi-Year Racism Initiative throughout the district. This transformational journey plans to “holistically examine our system to uproot oppressive practices and policies that are harmful to students and their learning”(smuhsd.org) In the 2021-2022 school year, professional training days organized anti-racist proffesional training days for teachers and staff to combat racial and harmful experiences on campuses all around the district. These days consist of addressing a positive educational experience, accountability, and equity focused data.
All in all, the initiatives of the General Equity Committee to create a safe and inclusive environment for the wide diversity of students is taking into great effect. From the Ethnic Studies course for students, to the Multi-Year Anti-Racism Initiative for teachers and staff, the San Mateo High School District is in the process of preventing systematic biases to the student body and designing a truly equal environment for all students.
