California high school makes ethnic studies course on critical race theory mandatory

The North Monterey County Unified School District has instituted a compulsory ethnic studies semester that incorporates critical race theory for students slated to graduate in 2029 and later. Approved at a July 23 board meeting, the class started this academic year at North Monterey County High School. Instructional materials describe America as an imperial colonizer and argue that the September 11 attacks intensified discrimination toward Muslim communities.

The syllabus emphasizes intersectional themes such as indigeneity, coloniality, and hegemony, and aims to foster “critical hope” for societal transformation. Course units cover power and privilege hierarchies, the role of “whiteness” in historical treaties, and the concept of decolonization through civic engagement. Presentation slides illustrate a “Wheel of Power/Privilege” and a “Tree of Racism,” positioning English-speaking, cisgender straight white men at the center of privilege. Critics, including Defending Education’s research director, argue the program forces students to view Western culture negatively.