Providence Student Union launches #OurHistoryMatters campaign

Originally published at RIFuture on January 21, 2016.

The Providence Student Union (PSU) rallied outside the Providence School Department Wednesday to demand that Ethnic Study classes be taught for credit in high school. The event kicked off the PSU’s #OurHistoryMatters campaign to counter the lack of representation of the Latino, Black, Southeast Asian, and American Indian populations in the school’s classes.

Representatives from PrYSM, the EJLRI, Youth in Action, DARE, and community and labor leaders joined PSU in their efforts.

Recent studies have shown that high school students perform better when offered race and ethnicity classes. A Guardian report on a Stanford University study said, “Student attendance increased by 21%, while grade-point averages surged nearly a grade and a half for those enrolled in the class – striking results, according to the researchers.”

Students spoke passionately about the lack of representation in their history classes (see video below). They also resented having to learn real history outside of school. “I just recently learned the truth about Columbus Day,” said Diane Gonzalez from Central High School. “I didn’t know who Columbus was until I learned it with Providence Student Union, in one of our mini-workshops about oppression… I’m Guatemalan, and I have no idea about our history at all.”

“This is an undeniable problem,” said Afaf Akid, a senior at E-Cubed Academy and a PSU youth leader, in a statement. “We analyzed the American history textbook we use in Providence, and our results were shocking. Of our textbook’s 1,192 pages, fewer than 100 are dedicated to people of color. That’s less than 10% of our history curriculum in a District where 91% of the students are people of color. That is unacceptable. And, of course, the few references to people of color are problematic as well, often treating issues like slavery and colonialism as neutral or even positive developments. We deserve better.”

“The oppression of enslaved African-Americans and Native Americans is disguised as… ‘cultural exchange,’” said Licelit Caraballo, “the hardships that Asians had to endure as they migrated to the US is viewed as just ‘seeking work’ when they were also treated as enslaved people. Our history books don’t cover these topics.”

An exciting part of the presentation consisted of holding up black and white posters of famous activists of color and asking those in attendance if they knew the people pictured. First up was Bayard Rustin, a leader in civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights, written out of civil rights history because of his homosexuality and atheism. Also held up was Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party, Grace Lee Boggs, author, social activist, philosopher and feminist born here in Providence, Dolores Huerta, labor leader and civil rights activist and Ella Baker, civil and human rights activist.

“We think it should be pretty self-evident that Providence students need a more culturally relevant curriculum,” said Justin Hernandez, a junior at Hope High School and a PSU school delegate. “But if those in charge of our school system need convincing, we are ready. We’re used to tough fights, from ending the unfair NECAP graduation requirement to expanding bus passes. And we are excited to do whatever it takes to win ethnic studies courses and move our schools closer to providing us the education we deserve.”