Santa Ana Unified to Maintain Its Curriculum on Israel-Palestine Conflict Despite Complaints of Anti-Semitism

The Santa Ana Unified School District offices in Santa Ana, Calif., on Feb. 12, 2020. Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times

Santa Ana Unified School District leaders announced it would maintain two recently-adopted courses on the Israel-Palestine conflict amid complaints from local Jewish groups that say the content is antisemitic.

At a May 23 board meeting, Superintendent Jerry Almendarez said the district wouldn’t remove any content from the two courses it adopted in April as part of its ethnic studies curriculum.

The district is in the process of developing such courses in anticipation of a 2021 state bill requiring them to do so by the 2025–26 school year.

The approved courses—“Ethnic Studies: World Geography” (pdf) and “Ethnic Studies World Histories” (pdf)—have been criticized by both the Orange County Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Orange County for portraying a “biased” and “one-sided view of Israel” and the conflict.

Members of the public make comments to Santa Ana Unified School District trustees at a board meeting in Santa Ana, Calif., on May 23, 2023. Screenshot via Santa Ana Unified School District

The Anti-Defamation League said in a May 5 statement that the curriculum’s discussion questions “portray the Jewish community in Israel as settler-colonizers, rather than providing proper historical context on the Jewish peoples’ ancestral connection to the land and why Jews from both Europe and also neighboring Arab countries sought refuge in that region in the 20th century.”

However, several local Palestinian groups—including the Arab American Civic Council, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and the Council on American Islamic Relations-Greater Los Angeles—have spoken out in support of the courses and said the content sheds light on a piece of often-overlooked history and gives an accurate portrayal of the conflict.

During the May meeting, Almendarez said he had met with leaders from groups on both sides and was committed to continuing those conversations—but that the district “has no intention of removing any narrative from the curriculum.”

“Comments have been shared with the district that we are looking to eliminate certain perspectives and narratives from our curriculum,” Almendarez said. “I want the public to know that the district has no intention of removing any narrative from the curriculum that will be developed in the future. Our intent is to listen to all sides, to learn from all sides, and to approach this in a balanced manner.”

Though Almendarez said he will not remove such course content, the Jewish Federation of OC said that the district has been receptive to their concerns and is willing to work with them to further develop the ethnic studies curriculum in a fair manner.

“In our meetings with [Almendarez] … including the curriculum steering committee, our concerns over biased content have been met by receptive partners who seek to understand, and share a willingness to address these concerns through [the district’s] curriculum review process,” the May 23 statement read. “We are now in regular conversation to address concerns about course content in a manner that supports [the district’s] intention to develop an inclusive ethnic studies curriculum.”

The statement went on to clarify that the group did not seek the district to remove any content from the course.

“Despite what organizations and activists have publicly stated, in our conversations with [the district], the Federation has not requested, nor do we have intention to seek, removal of ethnic studies course content that maintains academic integrity,” the statement said. “We simply want it to be accurate and avoid the continued spread of hate against Jews and other minorities.”

The offices of the Santa Ana Unified School District in Santa Ana, Calif., on Oct. 11, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Meanwhile, The Arab American Civil Council, said in a May 30 statement that they were glad the district was maintaining the courses.

The group said students of Palestinian and Arab descent often feel that school curriculums ignore and erase their existence.

“The [Santa Ana Unified] School Board has taken a bold and life-changing approach to teaching the history of people who have gone through oppression, government-led surveillance, and even death,” the statement said. “Supporters need to defend the curriculum for its accurate depiction of historical facts alongside the courageous step to healing society from a hard-to-discuss past.”

Hussam Ayloush, executive director for the Council on American Islamic Relations-Greater Los Angeles, also commended the board’s decision in a May 26 statement.

“We thank [Almendarez] and [the district] for their decision to continue to present a factual description of Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians and the historical context of the conflict,” Alyoush said. “The content being discussed in this curriculum is not only crucial to building a well-rounded educational experience for students within the district, but it also allows for the teaching of history without the interference of groups with narrow political agendas attempting to skew the truth.”

A spokesperson for the Anti-Defamation League of OC was not immediately available for comment.