Why ethnic studies matters | Ron Espiritu | TEDxAmherstCollege
Summary
TLDRRonis Pennington, a passionate educator from South Los Angeles, shares the transformative power of Ethnic Studies in education. Despite research showing its positive impact, Ethnic Studies faces challenges, including being banned in Arizona. Pennington's personal narrative, from his grandmother's struggles to his family's dedication to education, underscores the importance of cultural relevance and community engagement in teaching. He advocates for the expansion of Ethnic Studies to empower students and foster unity among diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Takeaways
- π Ronis Pennington is an educator with nine years of experience teaching Ethnic Studies, Chicano Studies, and African American Studies to high school students in South Los Angeles.
- π Ethnic studies is described as empowering, liberating, and transformative for young people, with research showing positive academic and social results for students of all backgrounds.
- π« Despite the benefits, ethnic studies remains underrepresented at K-12 levels and has been banned in Arizona, with Latino authors' books removed from schools.
- π΅ The story of Pennington's grandmother, Margarita Pedraza, illustrates the historical suppression of Spanish language in schools, which is a common experience for many immigrants.
- π Pennington's mother and father were inspired to become educators, focusing on bilingual education and breaking the cycle of linguistic discrimination.
- π« Pennington's own educational experience was limited in terms of ethnic studies, only discovering the depth of the field in college, which sparked a passion for the subject.
- π Ethnic studies has a 45-year history in the U.S., starting with student activism and leading to the creation of academic programs at the college level.
- π The Tucson, Arizona Mexican American Studies program demonstrated significant academic success, with high graduation and college acceptance rates among its students.
- π‘οΈ Despite success, the program was labeled as 'un-American' and 'unpatriotic' by politicians in 2011, leading to a community response with protests and walkouts.
- π Pennington advocates for the creation of ethnic studies programs in local communities, emphasizing the importance of decolonial, culturally relevant, and community-responsive education.
- π The struggle for ethnic studies is ongoing, with current efforts in Los Angeles to implement such programs and a federal court case against Arizona for banning ethnic studies classes.
Q & A
What is the main subject taught by Ronis Pennington?
-Ronis Pennington primarily teaches Ethnic Studies, Chicano Studies, and African American Studies to high school students in South Los Angeles.
What impact does ethnic studies have on students according to Ronis Pennington and research?
-Ethnic studies is described as empowering, liberating, and transformative for students. Research has shown that it has positive academic and social results for students of all races and ethnic backgrounds.
Why does Ronis Pennington believe ethnic studies is crucial for younger students?
-Ronis Pennington believes that ethnic studies should be available to younger students because it fosters a sense of pride in their linguistic abilities and heritage, and it can be a transformative and liberating educational experience.
What was the historical context of ethnic studies in Arizona?
-In Arizona, ethnic studies has been banned, and books by Latino authors have been removed from schools, making it illegal for students to read them in the classroom.
Can you explain the significance of Margarita Pedraza's story in the context of ethnic studies?
-Margarita Pedraza's story illustrates the historical discrimination and suppression of language and culture faced by Mexican Americans and other immigrants, which ethnic studies aims to counteract by celebrating and respecting diverse cultural heritages.
What was the profession of Ronis Pennington's mother, Doris?
-Doris was a bilingual education teacher and later became a principal of a highly successful dual language immersion program.
How did Ronis Pennington's educational journey differ from his family's experiences?
-While Ronis was inspired by his family's commitment to education and cultural pride, his own schooling in the 1990s lacked representation of Latino and African-American authors and history until he took a Black Studies course at Amherst College.
What was the significance of the East LA walkouts in 1968?
-The East LA walkouts were a historic event where students demanded bilingual education, Mexican-American studies programs, and culturally relevant curriculum, which contributed to the development of ethnic studies in schools.
What were the academic outcomes for students involved in the Tucson, Arizona ethnic studies program?
-The Tucson ethnic studies program had a 93% high school graduation rate and 85% college acceptance rate among its students, significantly outperforming district-wide averages for Mexican-American students not in the program.
What is the 'in lak ech' concept mentioned by Ronis Pennington?
-The 'in lak ech' concept is a Mayan philosophy that translates to 'you are my other me', emphasizing the interconnectedness and mutual respect among individuals, which is a central theme in ethnic studies.
What is the current struggle in Los Angeles regarding ethnic studies?
-The current struggle in Los Angeles is to bring ethnic studies to all high school students, as currently, only a small fraction of the over 1.5 million high school students in Los Angeles are enrolled in ethnic studies programs.
Outlines
π Empowering Education: Ethnic Studies Impact
Ronis Pennington, an educator from South Los Angeles, shares the transformative power of Ethnic Studies in education. He emphasizes the positive academic and social outcomes for students of diverse backgrounds, supported by research. Despite proven benefits, Ethnic Studies faces invisibility and even bans in some states like Arizona, where Latino authors' works are removed from schools. Pennington's personal narrative connects to the historical struggle for language and cultural rights, inspired by his grandmother's experience and his mother's and father's roles as bilingual education pioneers.
π A Legacy of Activism and Education
The script delves into the history of Ethnic Studies in the U.S., from the 1968 student strikes that led to the first programs at universities to the high school level activism in East LA. It highlights the successful Tucson, Arizona program, which despite being labeled as 'un-American' by politicians, showed remarkable academic success and graduation rates. The narrative includes personal experiences in creating and advocating for Ethnic Studies programs, emphasizing the importance of community involvement and the impact of such programs on students' intellectual identity and empowerment.
π Decolonizing, Culturally Relevant, and Community-Responsive Education
Ronis Pennington outlines the three core components of an effective Ethnic Studies program: decolonial, culturally relevant, and community-responsive with a social justice base. He discusses the importance of acknowledging the rich history of various ethnic groups beyond common misconceptions, tailoring curriculum to the community's needs, and responding to the community's unique racial and cultural dynamics. The narrative includes examples of how these components are implemented in his classroom, such as the creation of a 'missing chapter' on black and brown unity and the pop-up book project symbolizing the resilience of knowledge against censorship.
π£οΈ Advocating for Ethnic Studies Expansion
The final paragraph focuses on the ongoing struggle to make Ethnic Studies accessible to all students, not just in high schools but also in elementary and middle schools. It presents current statistics showing the disparity in access to Ethnic Studies in Los Angeles and calls for action to institutionalize these programs. Pennington shares his experiences with advocacy, including a rally and a federal court case against Arizona's ban on Ethnic Studies. He concludes with a powerful poem that embodies the spirit of Ethnic Studies, emphasizing unity, respect, and self-love as central themes.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Ethnic Studies
π‘Empowerment
π‘Transformative
π‘Banned
π‘Decolonial
π‘Cultural Relevance
π‘Community Responsive
π‘Social Justice
π‘Pedagogy
π‘Pop-up Books
π‘Activism
Highlights
Ethnic Studies has a transformative impact on students, empowering and liberating them.
Research shows positive academic and social results from Ethnic Studies for all races and ethnic backgrounds.
Ethnic Studies remains invisible at K-12 level and is banned in Arizona, with Latino authors' books removed from schools.
The story of Margarita Pedraza illustrates the historical suppression of Spanish language in schools.
Doris, inspired by her mother's experience, became a bilingual education teacher post the LAO vs. Nielsen case.
David Pennington, as a principal, led a bilingual education school with remarkable results.
The Pennington family's legacy in education emphasizes respecting students' communities and linguistic abilities.
The lack of diversity in literature and history studies during the 1990s in Texas schools.
The importance of Ethnic Studies in higher education for self-discovery and understanding of struggles by different ethnicities.
Ethnic Studies programs have a 45-year history, starting with the third world Liberation Front at San Francisco State University.
The success of the Tucson Arizona Ethnic Studies program, with high graduation and college acceptance rates.
The unjust banning of Ethnic Studies in Arizona despite its proven benefits to students.
The pop-up book project as a creative response to book banning, symbolizing the resilience of knowledge.
The need for Ethnic Studies to be decolonial, culturally relevant, and community responsive.
Celebrating unsung heroes of American history and the importance of understanding their legacy.
The significance of the 'In Lak'ech' poem in fostering a sense of respect and unity among students.
The ongoing struggle to implement Ethnic Studies in Los Angeles schools for a more inclusive curriculum.
The call to action for educators and community members to create and support Ethnic Studies programs.
Transcripts
my name is Ronis Pennington I am an
educator for the past nine years I've
been teaching Ethnic Studies Chicano
Studies and African American Studies to
high school students in South Los
Angeles and what I found working with my
young people is that ethnic studies is
empowering is liberating it is
transformative for our young people a
growing body of research from scholars
from across the country have shown and
proven that ethnic studies has positive
academic and social results for students
of all races and ethnic backgrounds now
despite my own experiences and this
research ethnic studies continues to
remain invisible for students at the K
through 12 level and in the state of
Arizona ethnic studies has even been
banned books by Latino authors have been
pulled from the Shelf in front of
students eyes and they're told that it's
illegal for them to read these books in
the classroom so how do we get to a
point in 2014 where an entire state can
ban a proven academic program and to
answer that question I want to begin
with the story of my grandmother
margarita Pedraza my grandmother grew up
in San Antonio Texas in the 1930s and
when she was going to elementary school
she was told that speaking Spanish was
illegal she was forced to wear a sign
around her neck that says I won't speak
Spanish she was physically intimidated
and abused by her teachers and her
administrators and sadly this experience
is common for many Mexican American
Latinos and other immigrants that have
come into this country and so in many
ways the story of my grandmother was a
defining moment for me and it was a
defining moment for my mother Doris pt2
who used the experiences of my
grandmother as an inspiration to become
an educator herself and she became a
bilingual education teacher and in 1975
in Santa
yo Texas after the historic Lao versus
nickel Supreme Court case that
overturned these unjust laws my mother
began teaching at the very same school
that my grandmother attended except this
time my mother was breaking the cycle
and she was making students feel proud
of their linguistic abilities she later
went on to become at a principal of a
highly successful dual language
immersion program that had incredible
results my father David is speedy too
was also an educator for over 30 years
and he was also a principal of bilingual
education school in San Antonio Texas it
had incredible results for the students
and was a model for the district in the
city
my parents inspired my two older sisters
to become teachers they also inspired me
to become a teacher and we had this
incredible model and example that as a
teacher you must respect the community
that your students are in and you must
make them proud of their linguistic
abilities and proud of their heritage
you see I went to school in the 1990s in
San Antonio Texas and while it was very
different from my grandmother's
experience maybe in some ways it wasn't
so different I never read a book by a
Latino author or an african-american
author
I studied mexican-american history on
May 22nd a day before the school year
ended and it wasn't until I got here to
Amherst College and I took my first
Black Studies course that I realized
that there was an entire academic
discipline that I had been cut off from
and as I learned about the struggles of
African Americans and other ethnicities
and the black liberation struggle I
became inspired to figure out who I was
as a Chicano male from South Texas I
became hungry for knowledge I became
inspired and once I found myself placed
on the historical timeline
I became an intellectual I was a student
participant and a student organizer of
an event called voices for the voiceless
and through this event I met people like
Jaime shaggy Flores they connected me to
these literary movements that
knew nothing about I met people like
veterans you got a poet Raul Salinas who
taught me about my indigenous background
as a Chicano I met Luis Reyes Rivera who
taught me about the intersections
between people of African descent in
Puerto Ricans and I met Carmen Tafolla
who was the poet laureate of San Antonio
Texas who's one of the banned authors in
Arizona and I also became actively
involved in the social movement of the
time which was the immigrant rights
movement which is an important lesson
about ethnic studies because you have to
put what you learn into practice and so
I felt liberated but I want to ask you
the question why do we have to wait to
college and so we have these experiences
shouldn't it be available for our young
people in high school and elementary
schools across the nation I believe so
ethnic studies has a 45 year history in
this country it was in 1968 a group of
multiracial students formed the third
world Liberation Front at San Francisco
State University and they staged the
country's longest student strike and at
the end of this struggle they achieved
the creation of the first ethnic studies
program at the college level UC Berkeley
followed the next year and student
activism of college students spread
ethnic studies to every major college
and university and an entire generation
of students have been trained to go back
into their community and to use their
knowledge that they learned about
themselves and their communities and use
these theoretical frameworks to go back
and solve problems in their community
and be active agents for social change
this movement was also at the high
school level and in 1968 the historic
East LA walkouts was asking for the same
things for high school students
bilingual education mexican-american
studies programs culturally relevant
curriculum in here we are were not done
with this struggle 1998 was a defining
moment in ethnic studies history it was
the year that the ethnic Studies
department
Tucson Arizona was created the country's
first and only district-wide
ethnic studies program in the Mexican
American Studies program was the largest
of the program who was a national model
for teachers like me and the teachers in
the Mexican American Studies program
presented at conferences and freely
shared their curriculum and their
pedagogy they invited us into their
classrooms and I was a student of those
teachers they have incredible academic
results ninety-three percent of the
students in the mexican-american studies
were graduating from high school in
eighty five percent of them were getting
accepted into college this compared to a
district-wide average for
mexican-american students not in the
program of a 50 percent dropout rate
equally important students in the
Mexican American Studies program
according to the 2012 Cabrera study were
outperforming their peers in reading
writing and math now the funny thing is
about math is they didn't even teach
math right so how is that possible and I
think it proves this point is that the
program was allowing students to develop
that intellectual identity it was a
defining moment for those young people
and so despite all this success in 2011
a group of politicians called this
program on American and unpatriotic and
accused the teachers of trying to teach
students to overthrow the government
yeah which is was the furthest from the
truth and the community responded
students and parents and teachers staged
hundreds of walkouts and protests and
sit-ins and they took over the school
board and they galvanized an entire
nation to defend the ethnic studies
program in Tucson Arizona I was there in
2012 as part of the liberal Trafficante
book smuggling operation we were putting
contraband books by Latino authors in
the trunk of our cars and taking them
across territory that these books were
illegal you know one of the things that
the students and the teachers told me
was that we're happy that you're here
but the real movement is back in your
respective local communities go back
there and create
ethnic studies programs so for the past
nine years I've been engaged in that
struggle as a member of the people's
education movement and organization I've
worked to create and share ethnic
studies curriculum and developed ethnic
studies pedagogy and at the school that
I teach at anima South Los Angeles we
have an eleven year history of offering
ethnic studies classes to all of our
ninth grade incoming students and an
elective also for upperclassmen in
Chicano African American Studies these
are some of my students and through a
important collaborative relationship
with my administrators and with the
counselors and with the other academic
disciplines in my school site we have
created myself and the other teachers
that have taught these classes an
academically rigorous course and program
that focuses on reading and writing
skills the focuses on listening and
speaking skills the focuses on critical
thinking through a project-based
approach to learning and before I share
some of my own curriculum I just have to
say I don't have this all figured out
being a teacher is a grind on a daily
basis and I am working to be better
every single day so these are my humble
ideas but their research focused and
they have results an ethnic studies
program has three components number one
it needs to be decolonial
number two it needs to be culturally
relevant and number three it needs to be
community responsive and social justice
based what I mean by decolonial
is that oftentimes students go through
history classes and they believe that
african-american history began with
slavery and that's not true
we have thousands of years of history
from our ancestors and those that came
before us the West African dancers that
come to my school every year is one part
of an entire curriculum that makes
students understand knowledge of self
and where we come from the Aztec dancers
that come to my school site are one
example of an infusion of a curriculum
that celebrates the indigeneity of our
Chicano and our Latino students we put
Columbus on trial for crimes against
indigenous people right and we look at
history from different vantage point
and we connect how colonialism of 500
years has shaped the current economic
political and social system that our
students engage with in South LA the
course needs to be culturally relevant
in it that it has to be specifically
tailored to the community that you teach
in so I teach in a community that's half
Latino and half african-american and one
of the things that we focused on is
celebrating and understanding the legacy
and the lessons of the unsung heroes of
American history the program needs to be
community responsive in that my
community is half black and half brown
one of the centerpiece units that I
teach is the missing chapter book on
black and brown unity and I grab the
state textbooks and I tell the students
hey let's look for that chapter because
man there's a whole lot written about it
and of course we can't find the chapter
so I say it's okay the knowledge is out
there we'll create it together and so we
create the missing chapter book on black
and brown unity this is a picture to my
students and I wanted to share one of
the written ideas they came from my
student London she's here on the left
and she said this about what she learned
oftentimes you grow up believing that
blacks and Latinos or arch-rivals only
because we aren't taught any better but
how can we expect to be taught otherwise
when our parents and our grandparents
have been sheltered from the truth and
the truth is is that black and Latinos
are not enemies and in fact there are
allies and have faced many of the same
struggles throughout the course of
history we need to address our struggles
and unite with one another to try to
overcome them if we were to learn about
how African and indigenous people came
together in Mexico for the liberation of
their collective struggles that we
should get the sense to do the same and
I think her words are profound in a
lesson and an understanding it's absent
for most schools that has a multiracial
population and finally one of the most
important lessons about ethnic studies
is that ethnic studies is a struggle by
itself
and so the students engaged in this
innovative project that was brought to
my attention by two friends of mine
professor Elias Erna and professor John
Avalos Rios who were creating pop-up
books with their students and the idea
of the pop-up book is a simple idea it's
that 500 years ago the Maya indigenous
people books were burned by the
Spaniards two years ago or in 2011 our
books were banned in Arizona so you can
burn our books you can ban our books but
the knowledge in the history and the
struggle will always pop back up it'll
pop back up in Los Angeles it'll pop
back up in Amherst Massachusetts
it'll pop back up in Chicago and all
over the country
and so students were able to write
essays and study about these different
events and they posted their work around
the school side and they invited their
community members and then we had a
display at the Southern California
library and I was contacted by a
journalist from Latino uSamp our program
and what was really powerful as they
came to interview my students about the
project and about their experience in
ethnic studies and we had achieved what
we sought to achieve at the beginning
which was to change the hearts and minds
of people by reaching a national
audience and I remember the faces on my
students and how proud they were when
they were speaking into the microphone
and when they heard their words and
their ideas over the radio right now in
Los Angeles we're currently engaged in a
historic struggle to bring ethnic
studies students to all high school
students in Los Angeles my students
recently wrote letters to the Los
Angeles Unified School Board according
to the data from the California
Department of Education there's over 150
mm high school students in Los Angeles
of those 150 mm only 691 are currently
in ethnic studies program this in a
school district answers 90 percent
students of color it's time to change
it's time to transform
it's time to offer ethnic studies
classes not just for the high school
students but
Elementary in middle school two days
from now it's Tuesday November 18th I'm
going to be joined by thousands of other
people in Los Angeles who are going to
be rallying in front of the school board
and we believe that this is a historical
moment similar struggles are taking
place in Texas the ninth district court
of appeals will be hearing the federal
court case that's been brought against
the state of Arizona for banning the
ethnic studies classes and my message to
you is that you and you can create
ethnic studies programs by writing
resolutions for your local school board
you can go to your local community your
local school community and you can
encourage teachers and administrators to
create these programs if you're an
educator whatever discipline whether
it's science math or English you can
also create these programs you can
infuse ethnic studies pedagogy and
ethnic studies curriculum into whatever
academic discipline that you have our
students need it
their success determined that their
success is determined by us offering
this type of learning and this type of
transformative and liberating experience
and I want to end today with a poem that
I begin my class every day with it's a
poem that comes from the Mayas it's a
concept called in la cash thousands of
years old to this continent that we live
in so poem written by luis valdez was a
member of the United Farm Workers
movement in Arizona this is a poem that
the government deemed illegal in LA this
poem is popping up and here's how it
goes and it's at the heart of what an
ethnic studies class is about in LA cash
do what ask me Oh throw yo you are my
other me see Thiago Dania D if I do harm
to you me ah go Daniel a me mismo I do
harm to myself City amo in respeto if I
love and respect you me llamo a respeto
yo I love and respect myself thank you
very much ladies and gentlemen
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