Colorado has been in the process of updating some of our state standards to include unrecognized voices. HB19-1192 was passed in 2019, new state social studies standards were updated in 2020, and a new social studies standards committee have been in the process of updating the standards again to include American minorities in the teaching of civil government. Specific content focuses on those including, but not limited to, the teaching of American Indians, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans, the LGBTQ+ individuals within these minority groups, the contribution and persecution of religious minorities, and the intersectionality of social and cultural features within each of these communities. 

Another bill that passed concerning social studies education was HB20-1336, which requires some learning of Holocaust and genocide studies before high school graduation. 

Another huge step forward was the inclusion of a new national historic site for Amache, Colorado's Japanese Internement Camp during WWII, which held about 7,000 Japanese Americans. 

Slowly, but surely, unrecognized voices are getting some recognition throughout the state and nation. The story we tell about history is shifting. As we know, though, there is a lot of work still to be done. 

*Edit - I forgot to mention an amazing project that was just undertaken by a grantee in Colorado - Adams 12 school district. The Raising Voices Grant Project engaged in learning about diverse historical perspectives/experiences and the value of representation in curriculum and to use Library of Congress, History Colorado, Latino History Project, and many other resources to build annotated resource sets for use in the classrooms. These Annotated Resource Sets serve as Inquiry Kits that teachers can use and adapt for their own use, helping teachers meet the needs of HB19-1192. Resources include primary and secondary sources, connection to state standards, suggestions for instruction, and purposeful inquiry questions. 

Absolutely nothing. 

If you look at the Georgia standards it's pretty much only White people and a few Black Americans...

Interesting  Julie Schaul . In our California high school district we have a semester elective course Introduction to Ethnic Studies.  The California law that mandates an Ethnic Studies course for graduation goes into effect 2025-26.  Schools are gearing up for this by working on courses of study or piloting electives.

In today’s NCSS Smart Brief, a featured news article focused on the law and teacher preparation efforts: State lawmakers consider strategies to prepare teachers for ethnic studies mandate. And here is an article from KQED news: New California Law to Require Ethnic Studies Class for High Schoolers.

I’ve copied here the course description and the introduction to the course of study for our four high schools.

Course Description

Introduction to Ethnic Students course will examine the perspectives and experiences of the ethnic, racial and cultural groups in the United States and their struggles for equality and justice. Students will study the meaning of race, nationality, ethnicity and culture in American society and the roles of stereotypes, racism and prejudice. Students will gain an understanding of themselves and others through classroom activities, discussions, guest speakers, debates, research projects and personal reflection. This class is designed to build understanding, communication and cultural bridges and to strengthen our multicultural and multiethnic school and society.

Introduction to the Course of Study

Introduction to Ethnic Studies is a course that will focus on the experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanas/os and Latinas/os, American Indians, and other racialized peoples and minority groups in the United States. The major purpose of this course is to educate students to be socially, economically and politically conscious about their personal connections to history. Ethnic Studies focuses on themes of social justice, social responsibility, and social change. This one semester course will span from past to present and allow students to identify social patterns and universal qualities present in all ethnic/cultural aspects of society including their own.