Riverside school board pauses vote and opens wider review of ethnic studies graduation requirement

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Riverside Unified School District board spent nearly two hours Dec. 18 taking testimony and discussing whether to change its policy that would make ethnic studies a graduation requirement for future classes.

Superintendent Lynn Sosa told the board the district had proactively built six ethnic-studies courses and prepared for a statewide mandate created by AB 101. She said the law included language making the requirement contingent on the legislature appropriating funds specifically for implementation — money that was not allocated this year. Sosa recommended aligning district policy language with AB 101 so that the requirement would take effect only if state funding materializes. “No courses will be taken off of the books and students will still be able to take any ethnic studies course that they want,” Sosa said.

A packed public-comment period followed. Educators, community leaders and parents urged trustees to keep ethnic studies mandatory. “Removing the graduation requirement weakens RUSD’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and academic relevance,” said Marla Matim, who served on the district’s ethnic-studies advisory committee. Professor Tim Gutierrez noted research and transfer patterns, telling trustees that ethnic-studies requirements are expanding in higher education and that students benefit academically and socially.

Opponents argued that mandating the course reduces student choice and could displace other electives such as additional math or science. “You don’t have a right to force the kids that want to take another math or science class,” a public commenter said, urging the board to leave courses as electives rather than requirements.

Board members said they heard both the academic benefits and the scheduling and budget consequences. Trustee Dale Kinnear, who moved to add seven workshops into the 2026 calendar focused on student achievement and data monitoring earlier in the meeting, said he supported intentional planning for any required coursework. Doctor Tweed told colleagues he was “supportive of keeping the mandate” and investing in the program. Trustees agreed to convert a previously proposed action item into a discussion item and to gather more data and stakeholder input rather than immediately rescinding or imposing the requirement.

What’s next: The board did not change policy on Dec. 18; it directed staff to return with more detailed data about course enrollments, scheduling impacts and the fiscal implications of either retaining or removing the graduation requirement. Trustees asked for follow-up with the ethnic-studies advisory group, classroom teachers and additional analysis on which student groups would be affected by any policy change.