Paso Robles school board discussed at great length a proposed ethnic studies course. The instructor, Geoffrey Land, had worked on the course to make it more palatable to all members of the school board.
At last night’s meeting, the board received a pile of written comments about the proposed ethnic studies course. And about a dozen people either called in or spoke at the meeting. The board voted 4-3 against approving the course, and then more discussion ensued.
Instructor Geoffrey Land agreed to put more of the writings of Dr. Thomas Sowell into the course. Sowell is the author of the book Ethnic America. He’s with the Hoover Institute and is regarded as one of the great thinkers in our nation today. Although Thomas Sowell is African-American, he’s rejected by many in the academic world because his views are perceived as conservative.
The board ultimately voted to approve the ethnic studies course for Paso Robles high school for 11th and 12th graders. The course is based largely on writings from Ronald Takaki , a Japanese-American from Hawaii who taught ethnic studies at UC Berkeley. Takaki died of suicide in 2009 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.
