Schools are critical in time of awakening

This is a time of awakening, a time of recognizing that we must bring more voices to the table and amplify those that have been underrepresented for too long. One step we can take is to critically evaluate our local school's curriculum and notice if it offers limited perspectives or multiple perspectives. After reviewing course catalogs for a few nearby high schools, it became clear that our local high schools vary greatly in their course offerings.

For example, Schaumburg High School's diverse Social Studies class options include Multicultural Perspectives and Women's Studies. If we head 30 minutes down the road, we arrive at Oak Park River Forest High School. Students at OPRFHS can choose between African History, African American History, Latin American History, Modern Middle Eastern History, Asian Studies, Women in History, Sports and Resistance in American History, Youth and Social Justice, and/or Hip-hop in United States History and Society.

Here's where it gets interesting. OPRFHS may have a larger student body, but SHS has a larger percentage of students of color (51.5% in comparison to 44.4%, according to the 2019 Illinois Report Card).

Where are the classes that represent the diversity of the student body? Certainly, an African American History class is not only for African American students. In fact, the beauty of Ethnic Studies classes is that they serve three purposes: (1) confirming the achievements of a particular group within history, (2) allowing students of that group to feel affirmed and seen and (3) providing students outside of that group the chance to understand an experience different from their own. It is time for us to decide if our schools' curricula reflect our community values. Are we ready to invite more voices in? Our children are waiting.

Jenny Morales

Schaumburg