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About TUT - Tam Union Together
We are a concerned group of local parents, educators and other community members in the Tamalpais Union High School District ("Tam District" or "TUHSD"). We support Ethnic Studies in our schools that teaches diverse perspectives and promotes understanding, empathy and unity within our community. However, we are deeply concerned about the direction the TUHSD District Office has taken in developing it's Ethnic Studies class called "Community and Consciousness".
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​Why Does This Matter?
The purpose of Ethnic Studies is "to empower students to engage socially and politically while building critical thinking skills that encourage inquiry... foster respect for cultural diversity, and recognize the benefits of inclusion." This approach represents what is termed "inclusive" Ethnic Studies.
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In contrast, another model of Ethnic Studies is referred to as "liberated" Ethnic Studies.
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The differences between "liberated" and "inclusive" Ethnic Studies are profound. According to former California Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig, "liberated" Ethnic Studies "sideline[s] racial progress and focus[es] on immutable differences... [its] emphasis on victimization narrows students' perspectives and deprives them of the agency they need to reach their fullest potential." On the other hand, "inclusive" Ethnic Studies aims to "inspire all students to embrace their own and others' cultures, develop their individual potential, appreciate our common humanity, and contribute to America's ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union." See California schools should opt for inclusive ethnic studies.
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Attorney General Bonta, Governor Gavin Newsom, and other California legislators have explicitly cautioned school districts against adopting "liberated" Ethnic Studies content. Such content has been criticized for perpetuating stereotypes, discriminating against ethnic groups, and promoting inaccurate or biased information.
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Pursuant to a Public Records Act request, we have reviewed TUHSD's 9th Grade "Community and Consciousness" Ethnic Studies class ("Course"), which launched on January 8, 2025. The Course units and lessons contain problematic elements which ignore warnings by state officials and do not fully align with the Course outline approved by the District School Board in February 2024. This letter© dated November 1, 2025 sent to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees from current Tam District parents details problematic content throughout the curriculum. The course’s lessons violate the California Education Code requirements against bias, bigotry and discrimination in what schools teach,
Let's Get TUHSD's Ethnic Studies Right!
Tam Union High School District can be the district that gets Ethnic Studies right. But not if it continues down the path it is on with its Community and Consciousness course.
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Privilege, Power, Oppression and Armed Resistance
These are some of the topics covered in the district’s required 9th grade "Community & Consciousness" Ethnic Studies class launched on January 8, 2025.
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These topics are not what the California Legislature envisioned when giving school districts across the state millions of dollars for this new course. They do not reflect the values of inclusion, equity, cultural assets, and achievement that are the hallmarks of a TUHSD education. Nor are they a focus that our Tam Union HIgh School District community has embraced.
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Lack of Transparency & Community Involvement
The CA Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum states that it is "important that all steps related to the development of a local curriculum, including the selection of materials, are transparent and involve all stakeholders in the community." It emphasizes "community partnership and accountability," urging districts to include the public in Ethnic Studies course development to "ensure that the particular histories, aspirations, struggles, and achievements of the communities present in classrooms are reflected in the course."
We are urging TUHSD to:
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Pause - Hit the pause button on Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement until such time as the course becomes mandated by the state upon being funded by the Governor.
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Be Transparent - Provide parents who so request digital access to all instructional materials which exist in electronic format. Parents should not have to file Public Records Act requests to gain such access.
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Incorporate Parent and Community Feedback - Be responsive to community concerns about the course's "Liberated" Ethnic Studies framework. and content and redesign the curriculum, conducting new professional training prior to the course being taught again in the January of 2026.
This way, as envisioned by the State and required under TUHSD policies, the Tam District can factor in community input first, and the School Board can discuss and vote whether to approve the District’s Ethnic Studies course standards.
Now is the time to speak out to get TUHSD on the right path for Ethnic Studies. Please join us by filling out this petition this and forwarding it to others to sign. Your names will NOT be shared publicly with the District. If you are a current parent of a 9th grade student taking Community and Consciousness this semester, please indicate that below and contact us with any concerns that arise regarding classroom instruction at info@tamuniontogether.org. Again, your identity will be kept strictly confidential.​​
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