Public Comment Made at Title VI Native Program Hearing for Davis Joint Unified
Hello, my name is Lupita Torres and I am representative for Supervisorial District 4 on the Yolo County Central Democratic Committee. I am a parent with two Native children in the Davis Joint Unified, which I have removed nearly two years ago from the program due to my concerns not being addressed, being excluded from programs afforded to other members of the Native Parent Committee and discrimination.
Many of the parents whom in the past have expressed similar concerns as me, have either graduated their children out of the school district, or flat out left the DJUSD due to their needs not being met and discrimination against their Native children by and in the school district.
Parents in the past have asked for implicit bias training and cultural sensitivity/cultural humility training for not only teachers in contact with our students, but also for all staff and administration working for the Davis Joint Unified.
Past requests also include but are not limited to removal of culturally inappropriate texts in the K-12 school curriculum, as well as the K-3rd grade circulo program books in the district bilingual elementary schools, and improved and accurate historical narrative in regards to Native Studies topics taught in our district schools.
Many of us have also asked that Patwin/Wintun education curriculum be prioritized within the Title VI Native meetings during cultural teachings, and that the Yolo County Office of Education hire a county-wide Cultural Coordinator for all Native students to be supported in all county school districts.
As former member of the Native American Advisory Body working with the Yolo County Office of Education, we asked that a statement be made by Superintendent of Schools Garth Lewis, warning [teachers] about the trauma inflicted on our students when schools require students to participate in the CA Mission Project, and when schools and districts insist on creating a false narrative around Christopher Columbus without talking about genocide and the first global human trafficking created by this individual.
Last but not least, The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a U.S. Federal Law signed by Bill Clinton on Sept. 13, 1994. VAWA was reauthorized on March 15, 2022 by former President Joe Biden. Additional protections provide specific support for working with tribes and tribal organizations to end Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking against Native American women. Provisions have been added for protections of LGBQTIA2+ community members and survivors of human trafficking.
The Title VI Native Parent Committee needs to be a safe place that emphasizes protections for women and children, and should never allow ANYONE to participate in cultural activities in the group, if they have an active restraining order, temporary or permanent, and should not be allowing members to sit on the Executive Parent Committee if they do not have children actively enrolled in the Davis Joint Unified.
Due to this being a public hearing, a 30 day notice must be given to the general public, along with a Zoom link openly available on the main district website that is ADA compliant and easily accessible.
From article: “about the trauma inflicted on our students when schools require students to participate in the CA Mission Project, and when schools and districts insist on creating a false narrative around Christopher Columbus without talking about genocide and the first global human trafficking created by this individual.”
Are you kidding me? (I assumed that this was EXACTLY what they taught – ESPECIALLY at places like DJUSD). I’ve certainly heard a lot about it – and I’m not even a social justice warrior!
Honestly, I don’t think this history is hidden – even at the remaining missions, themselves. (One can visit and appreciate them, without denying all of the aspects of history.)
I’d truly be shocked if that part of history isn’t even mentioned. As I recall, it was also discussed DECADES ago, when I was young.
But honestly, if that’s your reason for disenrolling kids at DJUSD, I can’t imagine where you think they’d get a “better” public education. (And I’m not usually one to “defend the district”.)
“assumed”
How is it that someone like me knows about it? I assure you that when I was attending school, there was a lot less “enlightenment”.
Maybe I learned some of this as an adult, as well. Not sure if we even celebrate “Columbus Day” anymore. (I just looked it up, and it seems that the federal government still designates it as such.)
Or maybe the author of this article has some rather extreme views – hard to tell, without an actual analysis of what’s being taught.
Though I will say that I’m not so aware of the “human trafficking” aspect directly attributable to Columbus.
I’d have to say that I’m more-familiar with the impact of the missions, than I am regarding Columbus. Don’t recall much about him, other than him possibly “misnaming” the natives, along with a poem.
Mostly famous for having no idea where he was, but somehow arriving at a destination anyway.
In other words, there was no “hero worship” of this guy when I went to school.
Now George Washington is a different story. Chopped down a cherry tree as a child, and subsequently used the wood to create his own teeth (and to build the boat that carried him across the Potomac to Pearl Harbor).
(That’s about the level of importance I view some aspects of history – other than the underlying story.)
I’d suggest (for the most part) studying STEM subjects, instead. And stop tying your personal identity to skin color.
But for those who want to learn about Columbus, there’s always Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus
We definitely need to improve our history of indigenous peoples
“We definitely need to improve our history of indigenous peoples”
Agree, and other groups as well. The ethnic studies thing went off the rails when it got political (left) and became yet another proxy for the Israel-Palestine conflict as for how Jews are portrayed. And when it became a separate ‘thing’ instead of a better teaching of history.