State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Outlines Efforts to Explore Data on School Police, Expand Understanding of Ethnic Studies

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Wednesday outlined two upcoming efforts the California Department of Education (CDE) will lead in the coming weeks as schools tackle questions surrounding educational equity and racial justice.

The first effort will accelerate research into the impacts of the presence of law enforcement on school campuses, the findings of which will inform specific policy recommendations.

The second will be the launch of a series of Ethnic Studies webinars for students, families, and educators to familiarize themselves with the histories and contributions of oppressed populations.

“As our state and nation confronts difficult conversations about racial justice, it’s evident that schools are uniquely positioned to tackle some of these issues head-on,” said Thurmond. “Like our communities, our schools are also reckoning with the best ways to navigate police reform and an honest accounting with our nation’s complex history.”

An archived broadcast of the full media check-in can be viewed on the CDE’s Facebook page.

Here is a brief recap of the State Superintendent’s announcements:

School Safety and Equity: Superintendent Thurmond will hold a public hearing Tuesday, June 30 at 10 a.m., which will be streamed live on Facebook, that will examine the data and research that exists regarding the impacts of police programs on school campuses. This will be designed as a discussion between researchers, police organizations, advocacy groups, and legislators. CDE will utilize an existing partnership with nonprofit education organization WestEd to compile and review existing research on school police programs to inform future policy recommendations.

Groups and individuals that study issues of school policing are also invited to submit their research to [email protected].

Ethnic Studies Webinars: As the CDE prepares to submit a revised Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum for public review, the State Superintendent announced he will be launching a series of virtual webinars and lessons for students, educators, and families. These lessons will feature Ethnic Studies professors in the following areas: Africana Studies; Asian American Studies; Chicano Latino Studies; and Native American Studies. More details will be announced this week.