Ethnic Studies Is Added As A New Course

By: Megan Yang

Redwood High School adds Ethnic Studies as a course.

Brandon Gridiron, Administrator of the Equity & Student Services Department For Visalia Unified School District, developed the Ethnic Studies course for VUSD. He says, “Inclusion is not just having a diverse representation… it’s actually allowing [students] to have a voice.”

Gridiron plans to take this class himself to learn as a student would gain firsthand experience. He says, “I really hope it inspires [students] to want to learn about the struggles, accomplishments, and the strengths of diversity.”

Gridiron says, “This poem truly captures the essence of Ethnic Studies; the understanding that we are all one, and what is done to one of us is done to all of us.”

“Empathy allows people to respond with compassion and love for one another.” 

-Gridiron

Dr. Jesus Gonzalez, Redwood High School Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Instruction, proposed this course with the school district’s curriculum team because he, “thought it would be very important to offer Ethnic Studies in our community, the Visalia Unified School District.” 

Dr. Gonzalez says, “the hope is looking forward to more students looking at this course as something they would really thrive to take.” 

“… Having students from Redwood that are choosing to be in this course is going to create a very positive environment.”  

– Dr. Gonzalez

Mr. Huerta is the Ethnic Studies teacher and he says, “even though we may be different on the outside, we may speak different languages, but when it comes down to it… we have more in common than we do differences.”

Huerta says, “hopefully it clears up stereotyping or misconceptions we may have of each other.” 

Mia Trevino, ’21 is in the Ethnic Studies course at Redwood High School. Trevino says, “Ethnic Studies is helping me grow as a person by helping me learn more about the people who make up our world.”

Trevino says, “I believe it will help me learn a lot about things that aren’t taught in regular history classes, and can help me learn more about myself and my culture.”