More than two years after Utah passed a law requiring ethnic studies in public schools, the Legislature’s Ethnic Studies Commission presented its final recommendations for how that should happen at a Nov. 6 meeting. Democrats on the commission didn’t approve of how the proposals turned out.
Now, it will be up to the Utah State Board of Education to figure out how to implement it.
The first recommendation says the board should, “carefully consider the use of ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum to ensure a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus.”
The second says, “the public education system should incorporate curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in HB261,” the state’s recent anti-diversity, equity and inclusion law. It prohibits DEI hiring practices and offices aligned with identity at state-run universities, public schools and government entities.
The recommendations were first presented at an August meeting. Republican co-chairs Sen. Kirk Cullimore and Rep. Ryan Wilcox said the commission could keep workshopping them before passing them, but no changes were made between the two meetings.
The recommendations passed on a 6-4 vote. The commission’s three Democrats, Rep. Angela Romero, Sen. Luz Escamilla and Rep. Sandra Hollins, voted against as did Michelle Love-Day who works at the Jordan School District.
Romero told KUER her no vote was because the recommendations were tied to legislation she strongly disagreed with.
“I just know that there are educators out there that are afraid to even have conversations, because they're afraid that they'll be violating HB261, so that raises big red flags for me.”
Additionally, she said she doesn’t think the recommendations offer enough guidance because of how vague they are.
Prior to HB261, Romero had hoped the group would take a deep dive into the topic and suggest increasing the number of ethnic studies courses offered in K-12 schools. She wanted more Utah children to learn about the “diverse histories of people who have lived here.”
“My first ethnic studies course I ever took was in college, and I would have loved to have taken an ethnic study course in high school.”
The commission also passed recommendations to the Office of the Governor and the Legislature, which Romero voted against. Those recommendations also emphasize staying within the bounds of the anti-DEI law.
Love-Day proposed multiple suggestions for ways to include specifics, like offering scholarships for college students studying ethnic studies. The suggestions were not supported by other commission members and the co-chairs.
Nubia Peña, director for the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs, suggested the addition of a recommendation that Gov. Spencer Cox pass a resolution acknowledging the “value of different cultures, ethnicities, perspectives and traditions.” That suggestion was adopted by the board.
“From my perspective, I think keeping this more general and being less specific actually gives us a little bit more weight,” Cullimore said.
“Because then if the specificity of a recommendation is not implemented, then it kind of undermines the recommendation altogether.”
