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Native American parents and Indian Education PAC press SFUSD for curriculum changes, mural review
Summary
Parents, Indian Education PAC members and community presenters urged SFUSD to remove offensive murals at Washington High School, adopt an accurate California‑specific Native American fourth‑grade unit and start language pathways. The board described a four‑meeting mural review process co‑facilitated with the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center.
Members of the Indian Education Parent Advisory Council (Indian Ed PAC) and many public commenters told the Board of Education on Dec. 11 that district history curriculum contains inaccuracies about Native Americans, and urged immediate steps to replace problematic materials and murals.
Indian Ed PAC priorities: Paloma Flores and council members described program successes — increased Native teacher representation, a partnership with Google on indigenous mapping, and cultural nights — and asked the district to adopt a fourth‑grade Native California curriculum (Klamath‑Trinity Joint Unified School District's model suggested) and to begin language pathways for indigenous students.
Murals and committee process: Parents and elders told the board the Washington High School 'Life of Washington' mural is offensive and retraumatizing to Native students. Brent Stevens described a four‑meeting process co‑facilitated with the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) to learn historical context, hear community perspectives, and develop options; staff expects recommendations to the superintendent in February and to the board by April.
Public commentary and evidence: Lisonbee (Allison) Collins and others read textbook excerpts (including a passage describing Pocahontas) as examples of inaccurate materials; parents and teachers urged the district to remove or replace misleading textbooks and provide teacher training in culturally accurate instruction. Multiple speakers requested land acknowledgments at the start of board meetings.
Board response: Commissioners commended the Indian Ed PAC and the staff's planned curriculum work. Commissioner Sanchez and others asked for a status report on the mural committee timeline and emphasized urgency in recommending options to the board.
Next steps: Staff will continue the CIMCC‑facilitated committee meetings, expand cultural intelligence trainings for educators, and include Indian Ed PAC input as curriculum redesign begins over a multi‑year timeline.
